How do I become an engineer? Qualifications, skills and expected salary

ENGINEER a new career.

The UK is facing a massive shortfall of engineers, with one million more needed by 2030 to maintain and build our infrastructure.

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The respected Recruitment and Employment Confederation describes engineering as ‘the hottest buzzword in recruitment right now’.

What to know why? Take a look at these jobs – and the perks and salaries you could land.

• Engineer Surveyor, Zurich Insurance, Sheffield
• Civil Engineer, AECOM, Whitehaven
• Field Engineer (UK), Northrop Grumman, London

As well as traditional heavy engineering jobs, there is a huge demand for new engineers across growing sectors including green skills, nuclear and software control engineering.

Ready to build a fresh future as an engineer? Here’s all you need to get started, from Sun Jobs.

What does an engineer do?

All engineers either invent, design, test or maintain something – but this ‘something’ can vary widely and include machines, structures, gadgets and data systems.

Think of anything man-made and most times, it will have been engineered or is built by a machine or system made by an engineer.

What is the average salary for an engineer?

In the UK, the average salary for an engineer is £47,000 but that doesn’t tell the full picture.

While a graduate engineer may start work on around £26,500, senior engineers with long-term experience in managing major projects will earn well over £100,000.

How do I become an engineer?

This will depend on the type of engineering you want to do.

Broadly speaking, you can choose from civil engineering, mechanical engineering chemical engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, and software engineering.

Entry routes include taking an apprenticeship, a degree apprenticeship or studying a relevant engineering degree.

You may also want to study for a master’s degree in your chosen area and then apply for the title of chartered engineer (CEng) from the Engineering Council.

You can find out more at www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/job-sectors/engineering-and-manufacturing/how-to-become-an-engineer.

What skills and personal attributes do I need to be a good engineer?

Engineering is a precision profession and many people’s lives may depend on the work you do.

As a result, you will need to have very strong math skills and scientific acumen.

You’ll be a logical thinker but also a problem solver. Technical and analytical skills are a must, but you’ll also need to be strong at project management and teamwork.

Lastly, communication skills are vital too.

Paul Gibbens, Director of Engineering at Headhunters Hays, said: “Vacancies across engineering have continued to increase over the last few years – with requirements for renewables and green energy roles in demand, alongside manufacturing, power, and nuclear jobs.

“The demand we’re seeing is due to heavy investment across the industry, plus due to a decline in the number of skilled engineers over the years as a result of the pandemic and an ageing workforce.

“Jobs in particular demand are roles such as welders, electrical design engineers, project managers and multi-skilled maintenance engineers to name a few.”

Discover thousands of open vacancies for jobs all across the UK now on The Sun Job Board.