Geting a design Job

[nottelling]

I graduated with a good BEng (Hons) Aero Engineering Degree in July 2003. I have applied to all the major aerospace companies; Rolls Royce, BAe Systems, airbus... I have got the old sorry you do not meet our current requirements letter, or even worse nothing what so ever!:mad:
Can anyone offer any advice on getting started in the Aeronautical sector, my end goal is definitely commercial pilot but its the same old story of lack of funds I hoped my degree would help me gain the required funds. I enjoyed the design and performance aspects of my degree so this is the area I am looking to enter, but I am now considering anything:ok:.

Any advice on how I can gain the required experience or any move that I can make to allow me to work in another sector then move back to the aerospace sector at a later date if I need to.

Thanks

NT

[Genghis the Engineer]

I shall leave aside for the moment my views of aeronautical engineering being regarded as a second class job behind flying, other than to say Hmmmph !


Anyhow, the best advise I can offer is to get your hands dirty. Go and get involved with some real engineering that you can show on your CV. Look at...

- Helping out with restoration work
- Talking to amateurs doing their own designs and needing help.
- Getting involved in amateur space work, where people are designing rockets, parachutes, telemetry systems, etc - for fun.
- Go and help a PFA member build their aeroplane, particularly useful if they are doing any design work as part of it.

Having stuff like that on your CV, showing a real interest, commitment and experience in design work, will make a huge difference.

Or at-least it did when I was a fresh graduate (that was how I got my foot in the door, mostly with unpaid design work on an amateur satellite project), and it would certainly influence me as a recruiter (although sorry - I'm not hiring at the moment).


Oh yes, and try the less big names - small 2-man band companies are far more interesting to work for usually anyway in the design field.

G

[Paul Wilson]

Of course on the other hand if you just need the cash, try the motorsport sector. No offence to the aeronautical sector, but in motorsport you can do design that, rather than waiting for five-ten years to see your flap hinge flying on a BoingBus A347, you can design it have it manufactured and tested and be on the car racing inside a few weeks. If your not going long term in aerospace you are not going to get the really interesting stuff especially in bigger companies.

Take Genghis' advice and look at second tier companies, they often do the more intersting work. A good friend got the same degree as you and got a job working for AP Racing doing brakes for race cars, that sort of company could give you a way into aero work (planes need brakes too), which you may find more rewarding anyway.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Quite right, I work close to a handful of F1 teams, and their Engineers often come along to the local RAeS branch meetings. There are far more aeronautical engineers than automotive engineers working in high performance motorsport.

Which is another point, go along to your local RAeS branch and network - it may just help, and if nothing else attending the free lectures you may learn something useful to your career.

G

[a is dum]

I believe Gengis is certainly right with, ""far more interesting to work for small companies in the design field".

The interesting times for a designer in the large companies you mention are long over. But especially if you wish to go into the commercial pilot direction, a design job in one of the large company will gain you nothing. As far as earnings is concerned, I would not expect too much. Maybe BurgerKing will give you a better balance between earnings and free time (to work on restoring A/C etc)

There's a negative old git for you.
:uhoh: