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a Make a life, not just
» T he next generation collider P4
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GIANT BUILDERS: Building the Olympics P4
Engineering the largest projects in the land p18
ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY SPECIAL ISSUE
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EDITOR’S LETTER
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Contents On the cover
z
UPFRONT 4 Reality bytes 6 Building the Olympics Down at the Olympic park, Mike Vaughan and Saphina Sharif tell us how they’re engineering the greatest Olympics yet z 8 State of play How do you become a top engineer? We get the answers from the only people who’d know 13 I nternship heaven Work experience on Cloud 9
Real world features 14 N uclear power: Green angels or red devils? Investigating the good, the bad and the terrifying side of nuclear power
N
ow couldn’t be a more exciting time to graduate in Engineering or Technology. London’s Olympic venues are changing from bare bits of land to some of the most ambitious structures ever built at a pace that would make Usain Bolt flinch, and the biggest machine ever built, the Large Hadron Collider, is finally whirring away under Geneva. In this issue of RealWorld, we’ve gone in search of the place for graduates in these projects, and spoken to the people already working on them. We’re tackling the big questions, questions like ‘Is nuclear power the fuel of the future or a bomb waiting to go off?’ and ‘How do engineers cope with disaster?’ There’s also our usual mix of the latest news, info from inside the industry and tools to help you build the career you’ve always wanted. We hope you enjoy it.
Jon Madge Editor editor@realworldmagazine.com
Make a life, not just a living At Real World we believe you should have a job that you want to get out of bed for. You should be doing something that’s going to inspire you, reward you and challenge you for the next 50 years. We help you do what you enjoy and enjoy what you do. We want to be the ones to tell you about the job opportunity that’ll change your life. And we want to help you to get that job and then succeed without limits. Real World is more than just a magazine. We’re leaders in graduate employment research. We train people how to raise their game. Everything we do is about helping you understand your career, kick-starting it and developing it. After all, apart from sleeping, you’ll spend more time working than doing anything else in your life. We want you to make a good living, but we also want you to make a good life in the process. No sugar-coating and no dry job jargon – Real World tells it like it is. Just the best facts, advice and opportunities.
18 Projects of the future z 20 E ngineer your career How the parts of a future in engineering fit together
P13
Internship heaven
22 What would you do? How would you cope with these real engineering disasters? 26 D irectory Who’s hiring and how to get those jobs 27 C ase studies Real graduates’ stories
P22
Engineering disasters
Editorial: Editor Jon Madge • Sub-editor Jen Clark • Editorial Team Tom Brookes, Sue Wareham Designer Angela Wozniak • Publisher Johnny Rich • Editorial Assistants Oliver Rahman, James Munday Advertising: Sales Andrea Moretti • Client Services Manager Marie Tasle • Founder Darius Norell Real World is a publication of Cherry Publishing: 20 Newburn Street, London SE11 5PJ Tel: 020 7735 4900 • Fax: 020 7840 0443 • E-mail: info@realworldmagazine.com Website: www.realworldmagazine.com • Copyright © 2010 Cherry Publishing No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher. We cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs or for material lost or damaged in the post. The views in this publication or on our website are not necessarily those held by the publisher.
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realitybytes news*views*advice*strategies Earn-gineers Those with a degree in engineering are among the top graduate earners, according to recent figures. The information on top graduate earners, released by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), shows that, of the top ten graduate salaries, four are earned by those with engineering degrees. Chemical engineers came out on top, pulling in £28,415 on average the third highest graduate salary after dentists and medics. Commenting on the figures, Chief Executive of EngineeringUK Paul Jackson said, “We’ve always known that careers in engineering were creative and inspiring. These latest results from HESA also reveal they are financially rewarding.” Other engineers bagging a spot in the top ten earners were general engineers (fifth in the ranking) and civil and mechanical engineers, who came ninth and tenth respectively.
Is it what you know or who you know?
Future’s calling Innovators, engineers and scientists have
of date, and therefore not as stimulating
joined forces to smash the World Land Speed Record with Bloodhound SSC, the next generation of supersonic car. In an attempt to get future engineers interested, the team has taken the unusual step of providing open access to all their research.” Their hope is that having access to cutting edge information rather than outdated textbooks will keep science and engineering students at the forefront of their disciplines. Speaking to Real World, Claire Rocks, Head of learning support website Bloodhound@University, said “the problem is that most commercial projects are not able to share their data with the world. This leads to teaching material being out
as the latest ground-breaking projects.” She added, “It will show graduates that nothing is impossible, hopefully stimulating them to push the boundaries and not be afraid of challenges ahead. Innovation is key to the future of the planet.” The current World Land Speed Record is 763mph. Its holder, Wing Commander Andy Green OBE, is leading the Bloodhound SSC project. The hope is that with advances in aerodynamics, composite materials and computing power the team can build a car that would have been impossible when the record was set in 1997. Now all they need is a driver.
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The more people you know the better your chances of finding a job, according to new research by Edinburgh Napier University. According to the research, the number of people you know (as well as who they are) has an impact on your job prospects. The size of your peer group is just as important as how influential the individuals in it are. Dr Kaberi Gayen, co-author of the research and Visiting Researcher at Edinburgh Napier Employment Research Institute says, “For the younger generation, the number of people they know overall is more important than whether those they know are employed or hold senior positions.” He adds, “Younger people tend to have wider networks which could be due to their greater use of new information and communication technologies.”
High-tech farming Computerised diagnostic troubleshooting, service engineering and high tech equipment – these are the fundamentals for a successful career in farming. That sentence probably didn’t finish the way you were expecting it to. But if it piqued your interest as much as it surprised you then your skills might be in hot demand. Agriculture is no longer the sole domain of flat-capped men in sturdy boots. Engineers and computer-geniuses are needed for all kinds of professionals in this sector. It’s the world’s industry biggest business and employs people from pretty
much every profession. Land-based engineers are required to build and maintain precision farming equipment, civil engineers have to consider plants and trees when creating green urban spaces and computer programmers are needed to help maximise crop production. For university leavers, the news gets better. The agricultural workforce is getting old and is on the prowl for young blood. For more information visit Lantra, the land-based Sector Skills C ouncil, at: www.lantra.co.uk
Putting the ‘earn’ in ‘learn’
Who is the Student Personality of the Year?
Illustration & Photography: © iStockphoto, Flow Images
It’s difficult nowadays to give your CV the edge – internships, higher education and envelopes full of cash being the classic methods. However, an increasing number of recruiters are offering the Holy Grail of CV-fillers: a part-work-placement, part-university-taught, sponsored master’s degree. UK oil and gas company Petrofac is one such recruiter. Their ’Enhanced Graduate Engineer’ programme is intended to fast-track your career by giving you practical experience as well as a masters degree. Students on the programme study a range of courses at one of six universities alongside a work placement. There’s also the chance to work on one of Petrofac’s
Richard Kuti, a student at London South Bank University, has been named Real World Student Personality of the Year. The prize, now in its sixth year, is awarded to students who have displayed outstanding achievement across all walks of student life. Despite tough competition, Kuti was given the title for his work as Student Union President, helping to relaunch a student magazine and organising entertainments for fellow students and members of his community. This year, the Student Personality of the Year Award is dedicated to Anjool Maldé, a former runner up who died
handsome in-house projects and a £9,000 golden handshake to sweeten the deal.
tragically at just 24 years old. It
In case that’s not enough, when the course is done, you get the swanky title of
includes a cash prize of £1,500
‘Petrofac Royal Academy of Engineering Fellow’ and top candidates may find themselves snapped up for a job with Petrofac. Petrofac aren’t the only company running such a scheme, and both entry conditions and rewards vary from one recruiter to another. Either way, these schemes are an opportunity to distinguish yourself with a
for the winner and £500 for each of the runners up. Richard Kuti told Real World how proud he was to be named the winner. “Anjool is an inspiration to all students and I’m honoured to receive an award in his name.” If you or someone you know deserves to be rewarded for their outstanding commitment to student life, you can find more information or nominate them at www.realworldawards.com
masters degree, gain some hands-on experience and get paid doing it. Interested? For more information visit Petrofac’s website at www.raeng.org. uk/education/professional/petrofac
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BUILDING AND TECHNOLOGY | BUILDING THE OLYMPICS
At 12:49 on 6th July 2005, London was declared the venue for the 2012 Olympic Games. Almost from that moment onwards, teams of engineers have been working on one of the largest engineering projects the country has ever seen
We are the champions How did it feel to be working on the Olympics? I felt privileged, a bit awestruck
to take every opportunity you’re given. The
Any advice for our readers? You’ve got
and nervous that I wasn’t going to do a
opportunities are there and the only thing
good enough job.
that will stop you taking them are yourself.
Has your degree helped you do your job? My degree was in civil engineering but the first two years were general engineering, so I got to study everything. Having that background helps me talk to all the different disciplines that or on-site.
Mike Vaughan Principal Engineer with Atkins
How tough is it to work on something as high profile as the Olympics? People think ‘how do you deliver something like the
Tell us about your role in the Olympics project? The Olympics as such is
Olympics?’ You don’t. First you deliver the soil,
not a project, it’s many projects. Within that I fit
you pour it place the beam and build the
into the landscape and public realm project
whole thing up. It’s a matter of breaking the
which is all about providing the landscaping as
project down into bits.
people see it. But each venue is also its own
then a steel beam, then some concrete, then
There are things that worry us. We had to
Saphina Sharif
Senior Engineer in Civil Infrastructure, Design and Engineering
project, there’s logistics (getting materials to
change the master plan of the park because
and from site), structures bridges and highways,
we realised it could flood once a fortnight. We
utilities and many different projects.
redesigned it but there’s still a huge risk that it
What’s your background? I grew up in
could go underwater in 2012. We can’t control
London and at school was asked to participate
engineering team. The idea is we want to make
the weather and you can bet that if things get
in an ‘engineering education scheme’.
the rivers a feature of the park. They decided
wet people will come looking for me.
Because engineering’s a vocational subject,
My role is leader of the river edges
they needed someone who knew about rivers, how they work, what they do. I heard that they needed someone, stuck my hand up and was lucky enough to be taken on.
and nobody in my family is an engineer, it had
How does it feel spending 6 years creating this, when Usain Bolt spends just 9 seconds and gets the medal?
never occurred to me that I might want to
Usain Bolt can do what he wants. He’s
Civil Engineering (with Spanish) at university.
study engineering. But I gave it a go and I really enjoyed it. So from that I went to study
done that for nine seconds, my rivers and
‘
Usain Bolt runs for nine seconds, my rivers will get better for years and years
’
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plants will get better for years and years.
What have you worked on before?
What we’ve done as engineers will stand the
I started off working on little projects but
test of time. It’s going to be green and lush
before long I was working on Wilfrid – the
with lots of birds and fish and that’s what
nuclear power station in Anglesey. I’ve also
really excites me.
been involved in a couple of other projects
The saddest thing will be when the
– a demolition of an old hospital in Greenwich,
temporary venues come off the site. Things
a feasibility study of new airport in Ghana,
like the basketball stadium, someone
helping the MOD with their new investment
somewhere has designed that and that’s just
schemes. After that I went on to London
going to be pulled down and thrown away.
City airport.
BUILDING AND TECHNOLOGY | BUILDING THE OLYMPICS
‘
I like being the bossy problem-solver
’
The one thing I really like about this industry is you can really see the fruits of your looms. You can point out things that you’ve been Olympic Stadium on the left and the Aquatics Centre to the right
involved in.
If you weren’t an engineer what would you be? I think I’d be a detective. There are actually similarities between the two. You need a logical mind and there are processes and procedures to the two. That’s how my mind works. There’s probably some transferable skills there.
What were the main challenges of this project? I was scared of it. With demolition and site clearance, for example, it’s technically reasonably straightforward to knock down a Handball Arena
building but on this site there were 220 of them.
What do you like about your job? I like being the bossy problem solver and that it gives me a sense of achievement.
There’s the stereotype that engineering is a man’s world, is it? Yes. You’ll find more women working in the design team than you will onsite, but there are a few of us. Not that many, I have to say. I don’t let it be a problem. I do go into meetings where I am the only female but, so what? As long as I’m competent at my job, that’s all that matters. I’ve moved from the supervisor to the project manager role distinctive roof of the Aquatics Centre
which shows I get respect from the contractors. I would like to see more women going into the profession. I hope people don’t see the fact that it’s male-dominated as a reason to not do it. If nothing else, the females we’ve got on the team are a little more hard-working than the men.
How does it feel to be building the Olympics? It’s nice to be working on a project on home turf. When I started, I almost couldn’t visualise what it would be like. Now, with all the venues not too far off completion, it’s pretty incredible. I’ve learned so much and I’m Chobham Academy under construction on the Olympic Village
looking forward to using that knowledge on the next challenge.
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STATE OF PLAY
With public spending on a vertical slide, what does the future hold in store for the engineering and technology sector. We talk to those in the know.
ADRIAN HARRISON
Richard Hamer
Sheila Flavell
Engineering Sector Skills Champion (for the Engineering and Manufacturing Sector across the Isle of Man)
Education Director & Head of Early Career Programmes for BAE Systems
Chief Operating Officer, FDM Group
Paul Jackson
Keith Parker
Chief Executive, Engineering UK
Chief Executive, Nuclear Industry Association
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ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY | STATE OF PLAY
I am also involved in our Skills 2020 Strategy,
Richard Hamer: The financial crisis was a
which is part of our commitment to ensuring
real wake-up call to the UK, and what followed
we have the right skills to remain competitive
was genuine recognition that we must do more
and operate successfully in the UK over the
to invest in, promote and elevate engineering
next decade.
as a sector. The Coalition Government has spoken regularly of a need to shift the balance
Sheila Flavell: We are a leading
of the UK economy away from its reliance on
provider of IT Services for over 200 blue-chip
the financial industry and go back to making
clients worldwide. We are also one the UK’s
things. There’s certainly a perceptible buzz
top graduate recruitment companies.
around the engineering sector at the moment,
This year we are doubling our intake and
and a sense that engineering and technology
employing 500 graduates.
are once again on the agenda, but government and industry must act quickly to
Paul Jackson: Engineering UK works
inspire the next generation of engineers.
to improve the perception of engineers and Engineering. I lead the team here, working with
Sheila Flavell: Fantastic, never been
partners across the business, public and third
better. We have opportunities coming out of
sectors to promote engineering and the role
our ears for IT enthusiasts. Last year we gained
of engineers to the UK’s future workforce. We
20 new clients, so demand for our graduates
do this via a focus on core programmes. One
is far outstripping supply.
of these is ‘The Big Bang: UK Young Scientists
What do you and your company do?
and Engineers Fair’, which is the biggest
Paul Jackson: Definitely. If the UK is to
celebration of Science and Engineering
keep up with its international competitors,
for young people in the UK.
it will need to recruit and retain graduates in a range of engineering and technology fields.
Keith Parker: The Nuclear Industry
Our research shows that the UK will need to
Association (NIA) is the trade association and
recruit over 200,000 new graduates in to
representative voice of Britain’s civil nuclear
manufacturing by 2017.
industry. It represents over 220 companies. NIA
Adrian Harrison: We support major
supports a balanced low-carbon energy future
Keith Parker: Now is an excellent time for
players in the global aviation market via the
for the UK including renewables, clean coal
graduates to join the nuclear industry. We have
prime manufacturers and have worked on
and gas – with nuclear at its low-carbon centre.
a strong decommissioning and environmental
various programmes including the highly successful Airbus A320, A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner commercial aircraft soon to enter service. We have companies designing and manufacturing components across such diverse products and industries as military aircraft, oil/gas and space industries, electrical power and gas supply systems and production of food and drink.
Is now a good time for graduates to join the engineering and technology sectors?
The engineering and manufacturing sector
remediation sector with a range of exciting and challenging careers, as well as a strong generation sector – providing around 16% of UK electricity. And on top of all this, there are the exciting challenges and prospects of new build [to existing nuclear power station sites]. These activities need a wealth of skilled new workers, many of whom will need a strong understanding of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) topics.
comprises 52 companies scattered across
Adrian Harrison: It certainly is. Our
the Island employing approximately 2,500
sector is thriving and looking to increase
people from all skill sets ranging from trainees
involvement in many key projects across the
through to skilled operators and designers.
world. This requires investment in facilities,
Through the ACE project (Awareness of Careers
equipment and people. In the near future
in Engineering), I am helping to encourage
we will need a good mix of skills; machine
people to see the Engineering profession as a
operators, inspectors, planners, designers,
viable, long term and rewarding career choice.
testers, financiers, marketeers, purchasers,
Adrian Harrison: I think in our sector,
managers and executives, to name just a few.
companies will work more closely with each
How do you expect your industry to change over the next two years?
Richard Hamer: BAE Systems is one of
Engineering and Manufacturing doesn’t just
other on larger projects around the world.
the world’s leading defence, security and
involve people who ‘make’ things. There are
For example, today design, development,
aerospace companies and the UK’s biggest
many supportive roles such as designers,
manufacture, testing and delivery are all
employer of skilled engineers. I am responsible
planners, inspectors and also people in Human
managed by separate companies which
for our activity to promote engineering in
Resources, Finance, Quality – our companies
sometimes provide these services to the same
schools, as well as the recruitment and
have all these roles.
customer. In the future we hope to be able to
development of apprentices and graduates.
offer our customers a ‘one stop shop’ service
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CALLING ALL OF NATURE’S GREAT PERFORMERS.
The panther. The ultimate land patrol. Inspired by the prowess of its namesake, our Panther Command and Liaison Vehicle has the strength and mobility to offer superior protection to its crew. But then, out-performing the competition is what we’re all about. That’s why we look for graduates who can join us in developing the most effective defence, aerospace and security systems on earth. BUSINESS | ENGINEERING | FINANCE
baesystems.com/graduates
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY | STATE OF PLAY
Paul Jackson: ‘Softer’ skills such as communication, networking and relationship building shouldn’t be overlooked and are just as important as your technical ability. Engineers need and use these skills every day within their working lives.
Keith Parker: I’d tell them that, despite what people may think, the nuclear industry is not only staffed by people of my generation!
It’s good to be involved in a sector and industry that helps create the future and how we live, travel, communicate and exist.
This is a stimulating and vibrant industry with a thriving young generation network. Nuclear provides a serious, rewarding, challenging and long-term career – and the industry is also an exciting place to be.
Given the chance, would you do it all again?
where this support is offered under one banner
move on, the economic and workforce
(such as the Isle of Man Aerospace Cluster -
possibilities will continue to develop into
Adrian Harrison: Oh yes! 23 years since
now in its third year) even though behind the
realities, providing a large number of
graduating myself I have been involved with
scenes the separate companies are involved.
crucial new jobs here and overseas.
many things that I really enjoy, seen many
Richard Hamer: Like most other businesses BAE Systems is likely to be affected by government spending cuts and belt-tightening. As a business, the nature of what we do is also likely to undergo a shift in coming years. As various programmes come into maturity our
What’s the main piece of advice you would give graduates entering this industry?
fantastic people, come up against some soul-destroying problems, and helped develop solutions that blow them away. Yet even now I still learn something new each day, either from the sector on our island, in the UK, via the internet or by just reading something in an engineering magazine. It’s good to be involved in a sector and industry that helps create the
business will increasingly move from manufacturing to support and service.
countries and cultures, dealt with some really
Adrian Harrison: It’s hard work, both in
future and how we live, travel, communicate
study and then during employment, but it is also
and exist. How many careers can say that!
Sheila Flavell: Who knows? I am
varied, stimulating and challenging. After all,
expecting 2011 to be hectic and that is as
when something comes together, works and
Richard Hamer: I feel very fortunate to
far as I can see. We have received 16,000
helps society in a positive way, then that is very
have worked with young people, experiencing
applicants so far this year for our Academy
rewarding. Get some good grades in your
the enthusiasm they have and helping to
programme so the sky is the limit.
studies, be prepared to be flexible and a hard
channel that into a passion for engineering.
worker, think and act positively, question
It’s particularly rewarding for me to see how
Paul Jackson: With the constant and
everything (in a positive way) and you’ll get the
graduates and apprentices develop and
pressing need to develop green and low
benefits of a career in Engineering or
succeed at BAE Systems.
carbon technologies to try and mitigate the
Manufacturing.
Sheila Flavell: I am still doing it and will
effects of climate change, I think the industry could look quite different two years from now.
Richard Hamer: I think the key to being
It is a very exciting time to be an engineer
successful is to do something you enjoy. It’s
and make a difference.
tempting to follow the money early on in a
Paul Jackson: Of course! I loved my
career, but I’d encourage graduates in this
time as an engineer and am now I am enjoying
Keith Parker: The effects of new build
industry to take a more long-term view In my
helping to inspire the next generation in
will really start to kick in. The aim is to have
experience happiness and success go hand
this industry.
the first plant operational by 2018, and the
in hand.
continue to do so.
Keith Parker: Yes, nuclear is a particularly
developers and the supply chain are already gearing up and recruiting to take advantage
Sheila Flavell: Join FDM to gain the
high-profile industry with a bright future. The
of the opportunities here. But those
education and training that will secure you a
industry is entering a crucial phase and offers
opportunities are global, and as the years
fantastic future in the IT industry.
a range of exciting and challenging careers.
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Spotlight:
BAE SYSTEMS Does BAE need graduates?
anwsers by Richard Hamer Education Director & Head of Early Career Programmes for BAE Systems
conference at the NEC in Birmingham. It’s
broad experience across the business so
an opportunity for them to network with other
that they naturally find their niche, whether
BAE Systems has over 1,000 apprentices and
graduates from across our business nationally
that be project management, or research
400 graduates in training at any one time. We
and internationally, as well as meeting and
and development. Few organisations can offer
take on more than 200 graduates each year
hearing from senior BAE Systems managers.
opportunities as exciting and challenging as ours in the fields of business, engineering and
across the UK, and are always keen to hear from talented people. Unlike a number of major employers, we have maintained our
What do you look for in a graduate employee?
finance. We look for people who thrive on playing an active role in helping develop and deliver the most innovative products in their
commitment to graduate recruitment and indeed are in the process now of confirming
We recruit a significant number of systems and
field. Whether it’s a plane that can fly at
graduate vacancies for September 2011.
software engineers, but our recruitment policies
supersonic speeds, land vertically and not
We need graduates to meet future skills
tend to reach further than specific skills-sets.
show up on radar, or submarine that weighs
Competition is really fierce for places on our
7,400 tonnes, can dive down to 200 metres,
scheme so we look carefully at softer skills
and won’t ever need refuelling.
What sort of projects are recent graduates working on at BAE right now?
and place significant emphasis on identifying candidates who can demonstrate the right
As part of the two-year programme we also
attitudinal, communication and behavioural skills.
take graduates on three interactive residential modules. These modules are based on
Graduates at BAE Systems have the
What can a graduate that joins you expect to be doing straight away?
BAE Systems' values and include teamwork,
and our graduates are at the centre of driving
The scope of our graduate training programme
innovation forward. A lot of our graduates are
is much wider than most other organisations
What would change if they stayed at BAE for 10 years?
currently involved in organising their own
can offer. We are keen to give graduates a
opportunity to work across some of the world’s most exciting, complex and innovative engineering projects, from nuclear submarines
building successful working partnerships, innovation and creativity.
to fighter jets. What we do is truly cutting edge,
Increasingly we will see BAE Systems’ core business move towards service and support rather than manufacturing. As this becomes the case, a lot more of our employees will be working on base supporting the forces. As a business there will be an increasing requirement for us to show greater agility, and flexibility as we face emerging issues and embrace new technologies and materials.
If you could give advice to yourself as a graduate, what would you say? I think the key to being successful is to do something you enjoy. It’s tempting to follow the money early on in a career, but I’d encourage graduates in this industry to take a more long-term view, as in my experience happiness and success go hand in hand. Read Real World's exclusive interview with Richard Hamer at www.realworldmagazine. com/richard_hamer
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ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY | career SKILLS
Internship heaven Internships can be the red carpet into a career, but you need to know how to grab the chances
Scarlett Bland // Age: 21 // Degree: MEng Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University of Birmingham I worked for Doosan Babcock for nine weeks. I worked as an engineering student in Ferrybridge and Eggborough Power Station. I shadowed a supervisor during the summer learning how to supervise men and taking part in hands-on engineering. The placement was great because I was able to identify strong and weak leadership and effective teamwork which has helped to make me question approaches I used before. It was a great opportunity to identify strengths and weaknesses in the
Sean Canty // Age: 27 Degree: MEng Automotive and Motorsport Engineering at City University London It was a 12 month placement at Rolls-Royce Plc. It took place between the second and third years of my degree. I applied for placements through the Year In Industry (YInI). I gave them my CV and they arranged the interviews. I was responsible for developing manufacturing capability of composite compressor rotors for military gas
" I was learning new things every day... I was enjoying every single second "
Waleed Wazeer // Age: 24 Degree: B Eng (Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering at University of East London
company and allowed for me to bring forward innovative ideas for
turbines. The placement was part of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers
I did my internship at Cummins Power Generation Kent. My internship last for
improvements. Overall a great experience for me and the company to see if we are right for each other in the future.
(IMechE) monitored professional development scheme and it was also monitored by City. I was assigned a chartered engineer from Rolls-Royce that acted as a mentor and gave me lots of support: my progress was reviewed with four quarterly reports and one annual report. I learnt lots about engineering, design, project management and communication. Rolls-Royce was a fantastic company to work for, with lots of societies and clubs – just like Uni! I played for their rugby team and met lots of other interns through these activities.
nearly a year (about 11 months and two weeks). It is an always an honour to work for Cummins as it a recognised as” Global power Leader”. I have always been respected by my mates and my tutor as I was part of a well-reputed engineering firm. Well, I would say everyday was a school day for me (I was learning new things everyday). I was a team member of their new product introduction project (VPI). That was a highlight of the placement, which helped me to amplify my academic and employability skills. In general it was a great placement, where I was enjoying every single second of it.
" a great opportunity to see if we are right for each other "
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ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY | FOCUS ON NUCLEAR
Nuclear power
green angels or red devils
Nuclear power might very well be the energy technology of the future. If it is, it will mean today’s graduates will be the ones building, designing and creating the power that lights the homes of tomorrow. But is it really the cleanest, safest and best choice?
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ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY | FOCUS ON NUCLEAR
How clean is your reactor? Despite what cartoons have taught us, uranium and plutonium don’t glow green (they’re actually both a silvery yellow). Nuclear power may not be literally green, but does it at least have glowing green credentials? Nuclear is considered a ‘low carbon’ form of energy. This means that it produces substantially fewer carbon dioxide emissions than other forms of power, particularly fossil fuels, in the whole process from buildings and running to demolishing a power station. To make the same amount of energy, nuclear power produces about the same amount of CO2 as wind farms. That’s pretty good: about 1% of what coal power stations belch out. A lot of that comes from building and safely knocking power stations down, with less than 1/100th of it coming from the day-to-day electricity production. If graduates going into the nuclear industry can work out how to make reactors last longer just as safely, then they’ll become even cleaner. So nuclear energy is nice and clean? Well, not exactly. More emissions come from the mining and preparation of uranium than any other part of the process. As it’s used up, good quality ore is harder to get, meaning more emissions getting at it. The alternative is to use lower quality uranium ore, but then more emissions are created making it usable.
Safe as houses or an accident waiting to happen? When people talk about the safety worries of nuclear power, the image of a mushroom cloud over a barren desert tends to crop up. Is that really the risk with nuclear power? As far as the nuclear industry is concerned, the most important piece of information for the public to have is that nuclear power and nuclear weapons are completely different. They use different kinds of fuel, use them in different ways and have very different outcomes. In no way is a nuclear power station a bomb with a chimney. Figures from the World Nuclear Association show that one in every 4 pounds spent on a nuclear reactor pays for safety measures. Fuel rods have a zirconium alloy coating, are sealed inside steel tubes 30cm thick, all of which are kept inside rooms with concrete walls a metre thick. Add to this the fact that nuclear reactors are designed to create less energy the hotter
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‘
Risk isn’t just about risk. It’s about the size of the danger
’
be used as weapons. Even if they can’t, if the wrong people don’t know that, then nuclear sites are risks and that’s dangerous for people who live and work near them. Then there’s the unknown. The lifetime of nuclear fuel is thousands of years, which means we just don’t know what will happen to it in the future.
Flashing cash or ‘in the red’? Wind power and wave power are just two of the technologies that have some of the same benefits as nuclear. But the tides and winds are free. So, is nuclear power good value for money?
they get and the chance of a ‘melt-down’ is pretty low. If the worst did happen, then there are measures in place. In the area around the nuclear power station Dungeness B, locals have been given emergency medication against radiation poisoning with an automated phone system ready to tell them if they need to take it. The first is getting rid of the waste. Part of the reason there were such involved discussions about waste disposal is that some of it it isn’t safe for hundreds of years. Decommsioning power plants, mines and other nuclear facilities is a big concern for nuclear industries. When the Government discussed how to dispose of radioactive waste they included putting it at the ice caps sending it into space. The solution decided on was to store it in safe facilities underground. Perhaps these would be monitored and would be far away from natural or man-made risks. The Nuclear
More than 70,000 people work in the nuclear industry in the UK, that’s nearly three times the number who can fit in the 2012 Olympic stadium. That’s a lot of employment, generating a lot of economic activity. And, as if that wasn’t good enough, the average age of those workers is 56, which means they’ll be looking to retire any day now. The National Skills Academy for Nuclear predicts that they’re going to need 1,000 graduates, from all sorts of disciplines, to fill those jobs. Good news for graduates.
For the country, nuclear is a bit of a moneymaker. The UK’s civil nuclear sector already pumps £3.6 billion into the country's economy. That isn't all profit, as it has to pay to build new power stations, maintain current ones and clean up old ones.. While selling electricity from nuclear power brings in some cash, it costs the Government around £2.8billion each year to decommission old power stations, like Sellafield, which were once state-owned. Dr Keith Melton, of the New and Renewable Energy Centre, has dismissed the idea that nuclear is a cheap alternative. He said "I think the cost of nuclear will be higher than for fossil fuels,” adding, “but at the moment, the argument is all about CO2”. There are those that say it’s a bad investment no matter what happens. To make nuclear power you need nuclear fuel and that, like any fuel, will eventually run out. If we’re going to build new energy supplies, why not put all the money and effort into renewable resources like wind, solar and wave power? Germany’s just one of the countries that have plans to be completely renewable-powered in the next forty years.
Decommissioning Authority have asked areas interested in storing nuclear waste deep underground to come forward so that no one is unhappy with the situation. Risk isn’t just about the size of risk. It’s about the size of the danger. However safe nuclear power is made to be and however well-contained any radiation would be, if something did get out then it would be incredibly dangerous. A government organisation in the US estimated that an accident at a power plant could kill more people than the first atomic bombs. Even ignoring the possibility of a melt-down, there are dangers associated with nuclear power. The first is getting rid of the waste some of which isn’t safe for hundreds of years. This means that any measures put in place have to be maintained for generations, no matter what happens to the rest of the country. Another danger is terrorism. It isn’t agreed on whether any nuclear waste products could
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So, what to think? The debate will rage on whether nuclear power is clean dream or dangerous nightmare. But one thing is definite: more people are thinking and talking about it. This is an industry on the up – there will be more jobs for graduates in the nuclear industry for years to come. And with all the opportunities in a growing sector, if nuclear power is an industry that gets your Geiger counter clicking, then that’s got to be good news for your career. Meanwhile if you see nuclear as little more than a spent rod, there are also plenty of careers working for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority shutting down the power stations safely.
Turn a new page by visiting ours nucleargraduates.com Engineering • Science • Business • Environment
BUILDING THE FUTURE:
MEGA-PROJECTS
Olympic authority Even if patriotism isn’t your thing, it’s likely that you will have heard about the 2012 Olympic Games. For the host country, there’s fair pressure to construct practical venues for the Games that don’t send participants and visitors whimpering to the nearest 60s concrete eyesore as a more tasteful alternative. The responsibility for finding the balance between aesthetics and functional requirements has been assigned to a public body called The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA). As can be expected, the scale of this venture means the ODA’s chosen construction firm are on the lookout for bright young graduates to work on a wide range of Olympics-related projects. Currently, Olympic Park (in Stratford, East London) is undergoing development. This includes various colossal arenas which will host the Games, housing for athletes, bridges, artwork and other public features. Many of the arenas will be opened to the public after the games as leisure centres and entertainment complexes, so the park and surrounding
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structures will need to be usable in the long term. Engineering graduates will play an important role in thinking of innovative ways to approach this challenge after the construction is complete. The construction firm that the ODA have selected is Sir Robert McAlpine, famous for their design of the Eden Project and the O2 Arena. Graduates interested in working in a range of engineering roles such as civil and structural design, quantity surveying and building services engineering should apply through their website: www.sir-robert-mcalpine.com
Clic: the next generation collider The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is a remarkable machine. Teams of physicists from around the world are using the LHC to recreate the conditions just after the Big Bang, by colliding two beams of subatomic particles at high energy. The teams then analyse the particles created in the collisions. Brought to the attention of a non-scientific audience by the film adaptation of The Da Vinci Code, the LHC will revolutionise our understanding of particle physics. CERN, the team who designed the LHC, are now looking to further develop this understanding through the construction of the next generation collider: the Compact Linear Collider (CLIC). Much like the LHC, CLIC will be a huge particle ‘gun’, firing particles into each other with extraordinary power. Unlike the LHC, CLIC will fire beams in a straight line rather than a curve, allowing much smaller particles (like electrons) to be used, and giving more accurate data as a result.
engineering | future projects
But the CLIC is still in its early stages and the working machine is a long way off. The team to turn this project into a reality will need graduate engineers to join its ranks. If you want to be one of the engineers involved in pushing the frontiers of what particle physics can teach us, then this could be the project for you. However, there are also plenty of other opportunities for engineering graduates, including thinking of ways to optimise the performance of the already successful Large Hadron Collider. CERN are interested in recruiting brainy graduates in engineering, mechanical engineering, applied science and computing. They recruit around 60- 70 graduates a year, preferring those with a post graduate qualification like an MSc. Because of the competitive nature of the application process, anyone interested should do their best to distinguish themselves on their application forms, and to think about what exactly they want to achieve at CERN. Interested? Find out more at CERN’s website: https://ert.cern.ch/browse_ www/wd_pds?p_web_site_id=1
Crossrail Originally conceived by engineer Robert Stevenson in 1836, Crossrail TFL’s £15.9bn endeavour is due for completion in 2017, and will link Maidenhead in the west with Shenfield in the east. It’s an enormous undertaking - a 118.5km line travelling under central London, connecting Berkshire to the heart of Essex. Although some of the line already exists, large sections will be replaced and interfaced with new track. Engineers will add 8 stations and renovate most of the 29 existing stations,
extending platforms and adding disabled access. There’s also digging to be done; 22km of sub-surface railway has to negotiate the existing tubes, cables and rivers buried beneath London from the narrow confines of a twin shaft, six metre diameter tunnel. TFL are ordering new rolling stock too; an estimated 63 new ten-car, 200m long trains need to be built and delivered. The sheer scale of the task has earned it the title of Europe’s largest civil engineering project, and the reputation as either an engineer’s dream or nightmare. Bringing it into reality requires an enormous amount of manpower - 14,000 people estimated at peak construction. Crossrail have 400 internships on offer, and the five major firms responsible for delivery have ongoing recruitment in all areas, meaning plenty of jobs for upcoming engineers wanting to take part in this landmark project.
‘
Be one of the engineers pushing the frontiers of what physics can teach us
’
Aylesbury regeneration Designers in the 1960s had a frankly over-zealous attitude towards concrete. Whether poured, set with shingle or stacked in giant Lego blocks, there weren’t many buildings that escaped its monotonous charm. Fine examples of this can be found strewn across the Aylesbury housing estate in south-east London. Conceived as the answer to the modern housing problem, the estate was hailed as a flagship for community living and social housing. Today, however, it ranks high on crime, languishes in the bottom leagues for social mobility and is an eyesore to boot. The Aylesbury regeneration project is a £2.4bn attempt to undo the misguided optimism of our forefathers, wiping the landscape clean and having a fresh bash at a large-scale housing estate. The project aims to rejuvenate the area, replacing the grey ghettos with offices, retail space and 4,200 new homes. Schools, medical facilities and transport links will be upgraded and new community centres installed. Only the bedrock will survive across the 28.5 hectare site – in a project so extensive that it is expected to take until 2027 to complete. Replacing a large section of London, wholesale, is a task fraught with complications. Removing what’s there can be as difficult as replacing it, and engineers will find themselves toting their creative credentials alongside architects to tackle these challenges. Projects such as Aylesbury give scope to get involved in planning the cities of the future. A chance to shape tomorrow’s skyline? This could be it.
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engineering and technology | career map
ENGINEER
92055 (1300)
YOUR CAREER Routes into engineering
1.1 Chartered Engineer (CEng) Routes Higher National Certificate or Diploma
Further learning assessed by the engineering Council to be to degree level
Foundation Degree
Accredited BEng (Hons)
Further learning to Masters level
Accredited MEng
Meet the standards of the Engineering Council (UK-SPEC)
Charted Engineer (CEng)
Integrated MEng
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Become an Engineering Technician (Eng Tech) or ICT Technician (ICT Tech)
engineering and technology | career map
1.2 Incorporated Engineer (IEng) Routes
Accredited Bachelor Degree
Work experience BEng (Hons) or Accredited Honours Degree
Graduate apprenticeship in engineering IEng incorporated Engineer
Meet the standards of the Engineering Council (UK-SPEC)
Higher National Certificate or Diploma
Foundation Degree
Become an Engineering Technician (Eng Tech) or ICT Technicain (ICT Tech)
Further learning assessed by the Engineering Council to be degree level
1.3 Engineering Technician (Eng Tech) / ICT Technician (ICT Tech) Routes Engineering Technician (Eng Tech) or ICT Technician (ICT Tech) Work experience
Meet the standards of the Engineering Council (UK-SPEC)
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what would you do? When disaster strikes, who do you call? An engineer.
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ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY | FIGHTING DISASTER
‘
L ike the fuse of a bomb, this one fault triggers a huge explosion and the rig goes up in flames
’
OIL SPILL The set-up Deep beneath an oil rig on surface of the Gulf of Mexico, a surge of oil and gas is forced upwards. The Blowout Preventer (BOP), a system of valves designed to cut off the flow of oil and gas to the rig, fails. Like the fuse of a bomb, this one fault triggers a huge
With the surface spill under control, the drilling of two relief wells began. These would connect with the original well, just above the reservoir. There they could pump in heavy liquids like mud to slow the flow of oil. To prevent more oil flowing to the
explosion and the rig goes up in flames.
surface, a cap was fitted to the end of the riser pipe which had once
As the rig sinks beneath the waves, the pipe connecting it to the seabed bends and buckles, gushing out more oil and gas. Oil is now leaking from the BOP and the connecting pipe. Every second from now until the leaks are plugged will see barrels of oil and gas pumped into the sea. So, what would you do?
connected the well to the rig. The leaking section of the riser pipe was plugged, with an insertion tube leading from the plug to a ship to collect the oil. A temporary cap captures 15,000 barrels of oil a day, leaking from the Blowout Preventer (BOP). The cap isn’t a perfect fit, so a floating rig is attached, via pipes and a manifold, to the BOP, siphoning off more oil. With this in place, a tightly-fitting capping stack closes off the BOP once and for all. Mud and cement are pumped into the well through the relief wells and the pipes originally used for the floating rig, and finally the oil spill is stopped.
The solution A potential disaster this size calls for immediate action. The surface oil spill was tackled straight away using booms, floating barriers to contain the oil which can then be burned off, floating skimmers, which use brushes to collect oil in sumps, and chemicals, sprayed onto the oil to break it down.
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ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY | FIGHTING DISASTER
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Houses crumble, sky-scrapers topple and thousands are left with nowhere to go
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SUPER ADOBE The set-up It's the middle of a large residential area, with buildings and houses all around. A low rumble starts, coming from everywhere at once. Then a sudden jolt knocks people to the ground. The earth starts to shake and panic ensues. Houses crumble, sky-scrapers topple and in a few minutes thousands of people are left without places to go. Your job is to organise housing for these people. Whatever you build needs to be put up quickly and cheaply and, as you don't have access to a great range of building supplies or a team of builders, you will need to make use of the people and things around you. This housing has to be strong enough to stay up through any aftershocks. So, what would you do? The solution At the California Institute of Earth Art and Architecture, they've come up with a way
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of providing cheap emergency shelters that can be quickly and easily built by anyone. The Superadobe is a structure that can be made in almost any size and shape and is tough enough to withstand earthquakes. Made from sandbags and barbed wire, the design uses supplies that can be found in any war zone or natural disaster area. The sandbags are packed with dirt, then laid overlapping like long bricks. Lengths of barbed wire between each bag act like mortar. Between them, these two materials provide compression and tension, everything you need to make a building stay up. So much so, they've passed earthquake and hurricane tests. The materials are light, making them easy to transport if they do need to be brought in, as the sandbags are only filled at the last minute. Being simple to put together means engineers in disaster areas can show local people how to put up a Superadobe then let them construct their own, meaning no one has to go without shelter whilst waiting their turn. They cost
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY | FIGHTING DISASTER
about £26 each, which is important when lots of people need to be housed, and can be made into long-term shelters with the addition of plaster and waterproofing.
‘
he whole slope could T come crashing down the hills
’ AQUEDUCT
The set-up An Aqueduct in the Lake District, built over a hundred years ago, has become structurally unstable. When it was first built, material dug out from the tunnels was used to help support other sections of the 80 mile long channel. Over time this material has shifted and weakened and now it looks like the whole slope could come crashing down the hills. With water hurtling down the aqueduct at 3 miles an hour, repairs need to be made fast. These will be routine and easy to carry out once all the equipment is in position. The only problem is that in this case 'in position' means on a 40 degree cliff face, nearly 450m above the ground. Add to that a sensitive slope that rules out using any heavy duty machinery to get it there, the question is: what would
These had a diameter of 22cm and were drilled up to 16m into the hillside. The final step was to use tension piles, which worked with the mini piles to fully stabilise the area, allowing the essential repairs to be carried out. A spokesperson for Bachy Soletanche, the engineering company which worked on the Thirlmere Aqueduct, said “We envisaged several ways to get the equipment up the fell, even briefly considering using helicopters. However, with some very ingenious design solutions, we successfully got the equipment there.”
you do? The solution Engineers maintaining the Thirlmere Aqueduct were faced with just this problem. The aqueduct, which transports water from a reservoir in the Lake District to Manchester, was in danger of becoming unstable. Unable to use heavy duty machinery, for fear of damaging the sensitive environment and causing the sort of damage they were trying to prevent, the engineers used three solutions in one. First they used a technique called permeation grouting, or pressure grouting, to stabilise the area. This involves injecting a cement-like substance into the ground to bind together the loose material. Once this was done, the ground had become stable enough to install 34 mini piles.
THE ITALIAN JOB The set-up You and your friends are in a Bedford VAL coach which is teetering on the edge of a Swiss mountain road. Even the slightest wrong move will send you crashing down to the jagged Alpine rocks below. Worse still, your recently acquired fortune of stolen gold bullion is slowly sliding towards the open back
genuine disaster. However. It’s still a conundrum so perplexing it took a competition by the Royal Society of Chemistry to solve it. Here's what you do. First, smash out the windows at the back end of the bus and smash in the windows at the front end. This'll give you a bit more weight at the right end and help to stabilise the bus a little. Next, you have to lower a friend out of one of the windows. Your friend can then deflate the tyres, which will stop the bus from rocking and make sure your ill-gotten gains don’t slide any closer to the rear doors. You still need to change your weight distribution so that the front end of the coach is heavier than the rear. Since (as luck would have it) the petrol tank of the Bedford VAL is at the back, all you have to do is switch the engine on and let the fuel run out. By now the coach is stable enough to let one person, the lightest of your friends, out to collect rocks. With the right number of these, you'll be weighed down enough to crawl out and get your gold. And not a lot of people know that.
doors of the bus, to be lost forever. What would you do? The solution OK, so being the last scene of 60s classic The Italian Job, this doesn’t count as a
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careers DIRECTORY | 2011
THE
directory Here’s Real World’s low-down on the big employers in the engineering and technology sectors, where to contact them and the details of some of the most promising recruitment schemes for students and graduates. Enjoy.
CIVIL ENGINEERING Atkins: www.atkinsglobal.com/careers/ graduates/ Network Rail: (applies to: Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Finance, Information Management (IT), Mechanical Engineering, Project management) Ripe with new funding, Network Rail’s graduate scheme covers most kinds of engineering. Application for a place in 2011 opens in September 2010. apply.networkrailgraduates.co.uk Babcock: Their range of projects is diverse and most graduates will find something that suits or interests them. Applications open in
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING Network Rail: (applies to: Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Finance, Information Management (IT), Mechanical Engineering, Project management) Ripe with new funding, Network Rail’s graduate scheme covers most kinds of engineering. Application for a place in 2011 opens in September 2010. apply.networkrailgraduates.co.uk GSK -GlaxoSmithKline: www.gsk.com/careers/index.htm Tata Steel:
October 2010 for their graduate scheme in 2011.
An employment scheme for graduates and placements for
www.babcock.co.uk/pages/careers/ graduates
studying students. Applications open in September and close
Nuclear Graduates: Application runs throughout the year and they want Engineers of all disciplines. Successful applicants join a two year scheme, at the end of which they get allocated to one of the member companies and organisations. www.nucleargraduates.com/ Arup: www.arup.com/Careers/Graduates_ and_interns.aspx
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MottMcdonald: www.careers.mottmac.com/graduate/
when all positions are filled. You can register with them throughout the year. careers.tatasteel.com/ Schlumberger: careers.slb.com/en/recentgraduates. aspx Continued P29
ENGINEERING | CASE STUDIES
‘
It is very satisfying to see something which goes from an idea on paper to something physically constructed
’
Name Simon Watkinson Age 28 Degree and university Bachelor of Civil & Environmental Engineering with Honours, University of Adelaide, South Australia Job title London 2012 Existing Utilities Design Manager What do you actually do? I deal with the removal, protection and diversion of existing utilities which are located on the Olympic Park that are being affected by the new infrastructure which is being constructed. For instance, if an existing water main is running through the area where the Aquatics Centre is proposed, my role is to design and coordinate its move it to a location which satisfies everyone. What skills do you need to do that? The design requires a technical understanding of how utilities work, such as the hydraulics involved in designing a sewerage pipe or the thermal requirements of electrical cables. It also involves strong communication skills, as a lot of
time is spent discussing and understanding the requirements with all stakeholders.
this - I will be very proud to walk around the Park during the Games.
How did you know you wanted a career in engineering? Not many people know what career they want when first starting off. All I knew was that I had strong problem solving skills throughout school and liked to understand how things around me worked. This combination was a good starting point to get into engineering and it grew from there.
And the worst? Given the timeframes in making sure London 2012 is ready in time, occasionally the workload can be quite demanding. For instance, when the site team hit a snag building one of our designs, I have to quickly come up with a solution. Any delay to the programme could become critical so the pressure does mount at times. But it’s also these instances which make the job interesting.
What would you like to be doing in ten years time? Some people say London 2012 is a once in a lifetime project. But I think London 2012 has given me a great opportunity to take my experience and work in other Olympic host cities all around the world. A specialist advisor to the International Olympic Committee sounds good! What’s the best thing about your job? It is very satisfying to see something which goes from an idea on paper to something physically constructed. The Olympic Park project exemplifies
Name Megan Bonner Age 28 Degree and university Bachelor of Engineering (Environmental), University of Auckland (NZ). CEng MCIWEM Job title LOCOG Utilities Engineer What do you actually do? I have held a number of positions in the 3 years that I have been working on the London 2012 project. My initial position was as a water and waste water engineer putting together designs for the supply of temporary potable water and foul water drainage for the contractors building the venues in the Olympic Park. I am currently working with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) as a utilities engineer. This role requires me to confirm utility connections for the temporary overlay e.g. temporary toilets and food stands. I am also looking at sorting out the design requirements to make these connections, as well as providing design support on client queries.
What advice would you give new graduates who want a career in engineering? Engineering is a great career if you are after a variety of work. You have the opportunity to be involved in a wide range and size of projects, and have a mixture of office and site based work whichever best suits your skills. You only have to look around you and know that everything you see has somehow been engineered to realise that the potential variety of work is huge.
What would you like to be doing in ten years time? Working on another job which inspires me and instils the same pride as being part of the London 2012 Games! What’s the best thing about your job? The team of people I work with – they’re like family. And the worst? I would say the biggest challenge is working with so many different groups that have their own goals and objectives – this is when communication and team work are key! What advice would you give new graduates who want a career in engineering? Every graduate should aim to get some site experience. It gives you a true understanding of how things fit together and work in the field. This enhanced understanding of how things work enables you to put together more practical design solutions that can be constructed in a safe and efficient manner.
What skills do you need to do that? The ability to adapt to any situation and work with the information you have. Communication skills are also essential. I deal with so many different parties on a daily basis that I need to be able to effectively communicate to reach our common goal – creating an amazing Games in London in 2012. How did you know you wanted a career in engineering? I went to a careers day when I was at high school where we visited a number of engineering companies to see what their everyday activities involved. From that day I was sold on being an engineer. I think it was the problem solving that attracted me the most.
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As the world contracts and business opportunities grow, Gleeds continues to develop as one of the world’s leading Management and Construction consultancies. With 45 offices worldwide, including the UK, India, China, USA, Middle East and Europe, Gleeds seeks bright, talented and innovative individuals to work in a business that delivers outstanding service to its clients – in services such as Quantity Surveying and Cost Management, Building Surveying, Project Management, Health and Safety, and Strategic Consultancy. You will be constantly challenged and encouraged to reach your full potential. The practical experience you gain will be backed up by excellent training and APC support. 2010 marks Gleeds’ 125th year of delivering independent consultancy in the construction industry. Gleeds is a world-class organisation which fosters innovation and diversity to achieve excellence in everything we do. Why not learn more about Gleeds - check out our website www.gleeds.com or visit www.gleeds.tv To apply, contact our Recruitment Team on 0115 9778000 or apply online.
Gleeds is an Equal Opportunities Employer
Trusted, Independent, World-class… Sir Steve Redgrave, Gleeds Ambassador
• For graduate careers and student work experience • Students and graduates from all institutions welcome
Wednesday 20th October 2010 10.30am-4.00pm
Manchester Central
• Find out about vacancies in a wide range of areas from construction to IT • Free entry and free fair guide
(The G-MEX Centre)
www.manchester.ac.uk/careers/fairs Organised by The University of Manchester
CAREERS SERVICE
In association with
careers DIRECTORY | 2011
THE
directory Npower: Online applications open in September each year and close once all positions have been filled. www.npower.com/brightergraduates/ Nuclear Graduates: Application runs throughout the year and they want Engineers of all disciplines. Successful applicants join a two year scheme, at the end of which they get allocated to one of the member companies and organisations. www.nucleargraduates.com/
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING Network Rail: Ripe with new funding, Network Rail’s graduate scheme covers most kinds of engineering. Application for a place in 2011 opens in September 2010. apply.networkrailgraduates.co.uk Npower: Online applications open in September each year and close once all positions have been filled. www.babcock.co.uk/pages/careers/ graduates
Cummins: Recruitment starts in October for the following year. You can apply on their website throughout the year. www.eujobs.cummins.com
Nuclear Graduates: Application runs throughout the year and they want Engineers of all disciplines. Successful applicants join a
Science and Technologies
two tyear scheme, at the end of which they get allocated to one
Facilities Council: Their recruitment process
of the member companies and organisations.
is closed for this year, but check early next year for their 2011 uptake. www.graduates.scitech.ac.uk
www.nucleargraduates.com/
Thales: Thales takes on about 100 graduates each the year in mechanical, electrical and software engineering.Recruitment is continuous and application is through their website. www.ukgrads.thalesgroup.com/
AMEC: Recruitment is across their three divisions: natural resources, power and environmental engineering. Applications open from October 2010 for their 2011 schemes. www.amec.com/careers/graduates
Science and Technologies Facilities Council: Their recruitment process is closed for this year, but check early next year for their 2011 uptake. www.graduates.scitech.ac.uk Thales: Thales takes on about 100 graduates each the year in mechanical, electrical and software engineering. Recruitment is continuous and application is through their website. www.ukgrads.thalesgroup.com/
IT AND COMMS Aerosystems International; Recruitment for graduate software engineers runs from September until March. They also offer a trainee software developer programme for those without the qualifications for the graduate scheme. Recruitment for this closes in April. www.aeroint.com/aboutus/ graduates.html www.aeroint.com/aboutus/trainee Science and Technologies Facilities Council: Their recruitment process is closed for this year, but check early next year for their 2011 uptake. www.graduates.scitech.ac.uk ďƒ¨ Continued P34
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however, tends to be honed whilst working on the job with your colleagues. Once back in the office, you need to be able to deal with large data sets, gather the most important information together and report on your findings, so good writing skills are also a must. As a consultant, you also need to be able to speak with various stakeholders in your project and understand your client’s needs – communication is key.
Name Jay Neale Age 25 Degree and university MSc Aquatic Resource Management, King’s College, University of London; BSc Marine Biology with Oceanography, University of Southampton Job title Assistant Environmental Scientist What do you actually do? I specialise in surface water quality, spending as much time in rivers as possible, collecting the raw data, processing it and then reporting the findings. My work tends to form part of larger projects. I am currently involved with the Olympic Park project in East London. I am also actively involved with our river restoration, aquatic ecology, sustainable drainage (SuDS) and river geomorphology teams. This helps bring variety to my work. What skills do you need to do that? Proficiency with various fieldwork techniques is a must to ensure that your surveys are not only safe, but also to provide you with the accurate and reliable data that you are looking for to carry out your investigation. Survey skill
How did you know you wanted a career in engineering? I was fortunate to undertake a three-month placement with my current employer at the end of my MSc, where I was able to learn about the company and make sure that I was going in the right direction before being offered a job. What would you like to be doing in ten years time? I still see myself with mycurrent employer, at the level of Principal Environmental Scientist, sharing my expertise with the new generation of graduates and giving them the same support that I have had. What’s the best thing about your job? I really enjoy travelling to new countries. I have been able to work in Africa on several occasions, practicing my work in exciting environments. And the worst? I genuinely really enjoy my job and what I do! I guess it would have to be the coffee. What advice would you give new graduates who want a career in engineering? Work experience is great way to get a taste for the industry, get you noticed, and in my case, get you a job! Do your homework on the companies you are interested in and apply to as many people as you can. Be prepared to have people turn you down. What do you actually do? I am a Chartered Civil Engineer working in the Water and Wastewater sector of Engineering. My employer Pell Frischmann Consulting Services provides Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Environmental and Process Engineering design services to the client for all major engineering projects. As Project Manager I am responsible for ensuring that our design teams deliver projects on time, to budget and to quality. What skills do you need to do that? You need to be enthusiastic and logical; have a good understanding of project delivery; be patient as well as eager to get involved in solving problems.
Name Sally Walters Age 30 Degree and university MEng (Hons) Civil Engineering from the University of Nottingham Job title Senior Civil Engineer
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How did you know you wanted a career in engineering? I always had a keen interest in the Sciences and appreciating how things actually worked. I have always wanted to understand the reasons why things work and how they might be improved. I think a fundamental part of being an
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When I was seventeen I attended a WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) field course
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engineer is being naturally inquisitive and wanting to look for logic and solutions. When I was seventeen I attended a WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) field course at Birmingham University and realised the extent of the different forms of engineering that were available and the possible opportunities that Engineering could provide. Engineering can be a fantastic career, which is rewarding, fulfilling, challenging and constantly changing. What would you like to be doing in ten years time? In 10 years time, I would like to be a director in an Engineering Company (maybe my own) as well as working part time on my charity work. I am currently involved in a couple of charities that provide Engineering support to developing countries. Ideally in 10 years, I would like to have established and be working on my own Charity helping to provide Hydroelectricity in countries like Nepal. What’s the best thing about your job? The best thing about my job has to be the great sense of satisfaction and reward when you manage to solve a problem and produce a good design solution which will improve/ provide benefits for people, society and or the environment. It can be such a great sense of excitement and reward to see a project through from the feasibility stage, sketching a solution in pencil, through the design of the project to the final construction of the design on site. And the worst? I have to say the worst thing about my job, but one I am getting used to is the smell! I work with sewage a lot... but you get used to it! What advice would you give new graduates who want a career in engineering? I have been involved with STEMNET and the IET for several years promoting Science and Engineering at all different levels of education from Primary School children to University Graduates. Last year I was lucky enough to be awarded the Young Woman Engineer of the Year award 2009 from the IET. The award recognises the achievements of female engineers in their careers, but also in their role in promoting engineering. I think the advice I would give to new graduates wanting a career in engineering would be to do their research. Don't be put off if you look at engineering and think it is only yellow coats, hard hats and steel toe cap boots, or lab coats. Look into the different fields of engineering and if you can imagine doing it, then there is probably an engineering job available for you in that field.
School of
ENGINEERING AND DESIGN Design rated 3rd in the UK and General Engineering ranked 5th The Guardian University Guide 2010
PG taught courses are offered in: • Advanced Engineering Design MSc full-time and part-time • Advanced Manufacturing Systems MSc full-time and distance learning • Advanced Mechanical Engineering MSc full-time • Advanced Multimedia Design and 3D Technologies MSc full-time and part-time • Aerospace Engineering MSc full-time • Automotive and Motorsport Engineering MSc full-time • Biomedical Engineering MSc full-time
Graduates enjoy excellent employment prospects
• Building Services Engineering MSc full-time and distance learning • Building Services Engineering Management MSc distance learning • Building Services Engineering with Sustainable Energy MSc full-time and distance learning • Data Communication Systems MSc full-time • Design & Branding Strategy MA full-time and part-time • Design Strategy & Innovation MA full-time and part-time
Brunel is conveniently located 20 minutes from London Heathrow Airport by car
• Engineering Management MSc full-time and distance learning • Integrated Product Design MSc full-time • Packaging Technology Management MSc full-time and distance learning • Sustainable Electrical Power MSc full-time • Sustainable Energy: Technologies & Management MSc full-time • Wireless Communication Systems MSc full-time
For further information and application form contact: PG courses: Marketing Office
Research: Research Office
Telephone +44 (0)1895 265814 Email sed-pg-admissions@brunel.ac.uk Web www.brunel.ac.uk/about/acad/sed
Telephone +44 (0)1895 266876 Email sed-research@brunel.ac.uk Web www.brunel.ac.uk/about/acad/sed
For information on student study experiences view the spotlight newsletters at www.brunel.ac.uk/about/acad/sed
www.brunel.ac.uk
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ENGINEERING | CASE STUDIES
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GIS is a fantastic way to easily visualise and model the factors which make the world work the way it does
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Name Niall Carter Age 26 Degree and university Bachelor of Science in Geography, University of Edinburgh Master of Science in Geographical Information Systems, University of Edinburgh Job title GIS Consultant, Esri UK What do you actually do? I work for Esri UK as a GIS Consultant within the Utilities practice of the Consultancy Services department. I work within a team of consultants who advise, design, implement and support Geographic Information Systems (GIS) specifically within the Utilities sector which encompasses Water, Gas, Electricity and Telecommunications companies. As we are primarily a software provider the systems we put into place are based around our own specialist GIS software. Consultancy Services provides the expertise in implementing this software into wider enterprise Information Technology environments. This means my skills must range from acting as a point of contact for the end user, who often is non-technical, and interpreting their needs right through to understanding technical application development associated with complex and large technology based systems. What skills do you need to do that? I came from a GIS background and so brought much of the geographical awareness of information from my MSc course. This provided an excellent base from which I could expand my knowledge to work in a technology company. There are other ways in which you
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can gain the skills required for working at Esri UK. The company offers graduate schemes and student placement positions to applicants from a range of different backgrounds. The role can be quite technical and so I have had to learn and extend my knowledge of IT but this really sits on top of my taught GIS skills rather than in its own right. I enjoy the softer skills more such as business analysis and so have undertaken training towards this which Esri UK has fully supported. In the short term I hope to move from there into project management and so later hope to continue training towards this goal. How did you know you wanted a career in GIS? Form a geographical background I loved being able to model the real world to better understand it. GIS is a fantastic way to easily visualise and model the factors which make the world work the way it does. As GIS is a tool it can be applied from the physical geographical disciplines right through to the human disciplines. The breadth of application made it so easy for me to apply it throughout my undergraduate degree that I soon found myself wanting to use it more and more. I gained a place as an intern at a small GIS consultancy between my undergrad and Masters and then joined Esri UK on a graduate scheme. What would you like to be doing in ten years time? I would like to still be in the GIS domain but at a more holistic level inspiring people to use GIS more and talking with them about how they can realise the potential of geographical information. In career terms this is likely to be part of a business development team or engagement manager level but there are plenty of positions which ‘evangelise’ the use of GIS. What’s the best thing about your job? Solving problems. There are many ways to skin a cat with GIS.I love really getting to the heart of the problem and then applying what I have learnt and know to find, suggest and deliver the best solution. And the worst? GIS and IT are becoming more closely aligned to the point now where it is difficult to get along without a level of technical IT knowledge. As I am less technology focussed and more solution minded I sometimes find the technical parts of my job drier than other parts. What advice would you give new graduates who want a career in GIS? Decide if you want to use or develop GIS. Users will tend to be subject matter experts who use GIS to solve a problem whereas developers are those that are aware of the nuances of the use of GI in application to different problems. Do not be afraid of the word ‘develop’ and assume it means programming: it doesn’t!
Name Holly Stock Age 23 Degree and university BSc (Hons) Real Estate Management from Oxford Brookes Job title Graduate Surveyor at Savills What do you do? I am on the Planning and Development APC pathway and rotate within different departments within the company getting involved in a number of disciplines including Valuation, Development, Land Agency, Consultancy and Town Planning. I am currently in the Planning and Regeneration Department of Savills, where I am involved in the submission of planning applications, appeals and a range of other planning matters. Projects that I am personally responsible for include an application for an extensive luxury swimming pool for a Russian mansion owner in Hampstead and a horse riding school and equestrian centre in Brighton. What first interested you about your job? I have always had an interest in the built environment from a young age travelling to cities with my family and visiting as many museums, churches and historic sites as possible. This has grown to include modern architecture and the way it shapes the places we live. What’s been the best thing about your job so far? My career highlight to date was submitting a planning application for 6 private residential terraces which are to be the first sustainable scheme in the Royal Borough of Kensington (RBKC). The Mayor’s Office has challenged each London borough to complete a zero carbon development by 2010. Given the current state of the market, and developers looking to trim costs wherever possible, achieving this is no mean feat. And your biggest achievement? I’m being considered for membership of the RICS. The RICS qualification is a kite mark of excellence which is recognised by the property profession worldwide. Given the standard required to become a member of the RICS it would be a testament to the hard work and dedication I have shown over the last few years if they accept me as a member.
FIND OUT ABOUT FURTHER STUDY • Meet representatives from OVER 90 UNIVERSITIES (both UK and overseas) offering thousands of postgraduate courses
Wednesday 17th November 2010
• Talks on “Funding”, “Study Overseas”, “Teacher Training”, “MSc and PhD Studies”
10.30am-4.00pm
Manchester Central (The G-MEX Centre)
FREE and OPEN TO STUDENTS AND GRADUATES FROM ALL INSTITUTIONS
www.manchester.ac.uk/careers/postgradfair In association with
Organised by The University of Manchester
CAREERS SERVICE
Discover how the universe began. Not bad for a day job.
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Each and every person at the world’s biggest experiment is seeking answers to life’s toughest questions. This is a place where engineers rub shoulders with computer scientists; where technicians swap ideas with physicists; and where a quick chat over coffee might just give you the breakthrough you’ve been looking for. Whatever you’re doing at CERN, you’ll share in world-changing, awe-inspiring, mind-expanding work. It’s amazing what can happen when great minds come together. Apply at cern.ch/dayjob
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case studies | fine art
THE
directory
Centrica: Applications for their 2011 graduate scheme and internship open in October 2010. www.centrica.com/ Ericsson (UK): Recruitment for Ericsson’s Advance Apprenticeship Programme in 2011 begin in the Spring of that year. www.ericsson.com/uk/ericsson/ graduate BT: www.btgraduates.com/
PUBLIC SECTOR DESG: The Defense Engineering and Science Group www.desg.mod.uk/graduateops/ graduatescheme.shtml GCHQ: www.gchq-careers.co.uk/ DSTL: www.dstl.gov.uk/careers/ gradrec.php QINETIQ: www.qinetiq.com/global/ careers.html
for the graduate schemes and 8th October for sponsorship. They close in January 2011. www.desg.mod.uk/graduateops/
CHEMICAL Nuclear Graduates: Application runs throughout the year and they want Engineers of all disciplines. Successful applicants join a two year scheme, at the end of which they get allocated to one of the member companies and organisations. www.nucleargraduates.com/ AMEC: Recruitment is across their three divisions: natural resources, power and environmental engineering. Applications open from October 2010 for their 2011 schemes. www.amec.com/careers/graduates Johnson Matthey: Positions are available throughout the year, depending on location. www.matthey.com/careers/ GraduateOpps.html
Defence Engineering and
BP: Offers a range of schemes and internships. Recruitment for all
Science Group: DESG offer three graduate
positions is open 13th September to 15th November 2010 for
schemes, in different parts of the country, and a student sponsorship. Applications open on 8th, 25th, 30th October
trading roles, 17th December 2010 for graduates and 14th January 2011 for internships. www.bp.com
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Centrica: Applications for their 2011 graduate scheme and internship open in October 2010. www.centrica.com/ Kerry Group: They take on graduates all year round, although the location of vacancies changes. Application is via their website. www.kerrygroup.com Shell: www.shell.com/home/content/careers/ student_graduate/
Postgraduate Taught Courses at Cardiff School of Engineering Commencing September 2011 • • • • • • • • •
MSc Civil Engineering MSc Clinical Engineering (Part time - 2 years) MSc Communication Engineering and Signal Processing MSc Electrical Energy Systems MSc Hydroenvironment Engineering MSc Geoenvironmental Engineering MSc Magnetics MSc Orthopaedic Engineering (Part time - 2 years) MSc Structural Engineering
IN A WORLD WITHOUT SURVEYORS...
•
MSc Sustainable Energy and Environment
These MSc programmes are available in either full-time or part-time modes of study (1 year fulltime, 2 or 3 years part-time). Scholarships are available for selected international students. For further information on our MSc courses please e-mail MorganGR3@cardiff.ac.uk or visit our website at www.cardiff.ac.uk/engin.
…OUR FAMOUS LANDMARKS WOULDN’T EXIST Without the considerable contribution from surveyors, our skylines would look very different. Regarded as one of the most important professions in the world, with 17 specialisms it’s also one of the most diverse. You’ll be surprised just how much input surveyors have in shaping the world in which we live. From project managing the construction of the world’s tallest buildings to environmental impact assessment; from valuing art, to measuring the sea bed; there really is something for everyone. RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) is the world’s leading qualification when it comes to professional standards in land, property and construction. As well as a recognised mark of professionalism, becoming chartered provides a gateway to job and career opportunities globally. For more information about careers, courses and membership visit rics.org/careers_real
rics.org/careers_real
Get to the core. IT, Internet, ICT Research, Information Assurance, Mathematics | c.£25,000 + benefits Sponsored Undergraduate Technologist scheme | c.£19,043 All roles based in Cheltenham We’ll take you beneath the surface of global affairs. Where you’ll help us protect British people and interests against international terrorism and crime, or provide technical advice for the protection of government communication and information systems. With access to the latest and most exciting technologies you’ll utilise your IT aptitude to help deliver our intelligence – using your analytical skills and creative thinking to implement efficient solutions to some of the most challenging technical problems. In return, you’ll enjoy a world of interesting work and unparalleled opportunities for development. If you’re interested in seeing how the world really works, our world of work will interest you. Check our website for more details on current and upcoming roles, and to register for our email alerts. Please note that the Sponsored Undergraduate Technologist scheme closes for applications on 24th October 2010.
www.careersinbritishintelligence.co.uk Applicants must be British citizens. GCHQ values diversity and welcomes applicants from all sections of the community. We want our workforce to reflect the diversity of our work.
it’s an interesting world