Technical and Exciting Careers Via Engineering Distance Learning
The word Engineer covers a very wide range of disciplines. It's likely that you're looking for a chance to contribute technically and creatively if you want to get into either aero engineering or auto engineering.
In Britain we have a distinguished history in aeronautical engineering, with around six hundred companies working in the aerospace industry. With regard to the automotive sector Britain also plays a significant role here, with several hundred thousand people being involved in the industry.
Quality Training
There are approximately 32 UK Universities providing Bachelor of Engineering and Master of Engineering Degrees in Automotive or Aeronautical Engineering. Students can also go on to do post grad work at many institutions. At a lower level, vocational training can be found up and down the country. The option of a one year placement in industry is available with most university degree courses, and most students choose to take this between the second and final year.
Some universities will also offer a more formal split between training and working time. There are opportunities for some students to get sponsored whilst at university. This also usually means a work placement afterwards. As you do your research into the different training options, look for details of graduate sponsorship programmes.
Automotive-Engineering
Automotive engineering covers everything to do with designing and building cars, motorbikes, trucks and buses. It takes in elements of many other engineering disciplines. Things are changing all the time and modern engineers need to lead those changes, for example to produce greater efficiencies in materials and emissions.
Generally speaking, we can separate the automotive engineering processes into three distinct fields. The designers have to create the parts on a vehicle and ensure that they meet all of the stated requirements. The engineering attributes of an automobile are the responsibility of development engineers. These people often provide information to design engineers to regulate performance etc. Last of all come the manufacturers, who determine how to put the vehicle together.
There are a great deal of product disciplines for the auto engineering student to take on board. Amongst other subjects, you will be taught about aerodynamics, performance, emissions and vehicle dynamics. One of the most crucial areas of auto engineering is safety engineering. All aspects of a vehicle are stringently tested in both partial and full vehicle crashes and simulations.
Whilst each individual system has to perform its job properly, it also has to complement the rest of the vehicle. For that reason, students must understand something about systems engineering. This can also involve understanding tradeoffs, a process which ensures that all the vehicle attributes are delivered at an acceptable level.
Ultimately development engineering must meet the standards dictated by the manufacturer, the government and of course the buying public.
The next stage of course is to work on the manufacture of the vehicle. Manufacturing engineering is involved with a wide assortment of tasks related to the planning and engineering of assembly.
The responsibilities of these engineers specifically include machine design and layout, and project management of every stage of the assembly.
Aeronautical Engineering
Man's desire for flight has led to momentous developments in aircraft technology. If you are very analytical by nature and have a great capacity for highly technical and innovative thinking, you could do very well building a career for yourself in the aerospace industry. (That said, engineers working in Formula One use aerospace technology too!)
Many severe conditions have to be endured for an aircraft to fly safely, with immense structural loads being placed upon them. Aeronautical engineering requires a great deal of specialist knowledge, and so teams of engineers who each specialise in their own branch of science work together on projects.
Training courses will go into depth on aircraft design and flight mechanics, and feature a strong emphasis on analysis. Analytical subjects like thermodynamics are usually taught through lectures and tutorials. In recent years advances in computing mean that simulations can be used to test the behaviour of fluid, which lessens the need for expensive wind tunnel research. Nonetheless, university students will still benefit from wind-tunnel experiments and other physical testing methods.
Both Auto and Aero engineering students will benefit from a good deal of practical application. Both BEng and MEng degree courses will incorporate practical project work to be carried out in teams.
Training courses in these engineering disciplines will also introduce students to other transferable skills. They could include things like communication skills and time management.
The UK aerospace industry attracts the very best graduates, and the work is both compelling and highly remunerated. Completing an accredited engineering degree course will allow you to obtain the status of a professional Incorporated Engineer or Chartered Engineer.
