Undergraduate Engineering Placements

[FlyFreeWbe]

I would have put Aerospace, but i thought this would be helpful to the whole 'mechanical engineering' spectrum.

Next year I am supposed to go out and gain valuable experience by working in industry for 51 wks. I know of the usual places that most people apply to.. Rolls Royce, BAE, Lockheed Martin, Airbus, basically all the bigger aerospace industries. I wanted to know if there are any other not so well known industries in Britain, that offer placements to undergraduates? Personally, I am hoping to apply to Marshall Aerospace for design, but applying and getting in are two completely different things.

Your help would be appreciated. I understand Nissan offer Aero placements, so anyone know if other car manufacturers/fabricators do this?

Thanks
FFW

[Genghis the Engineer]

Those placements are hard to find, but equally they're vital to your long term career prospects and nobody's going to help but yourself.

Somewhere like Marshall would be fantastic, but you're clearly aware that there are probably many more applicants to them than possible placements. The same will apply to the other big firms, because they're who everybody applies to - this doesn't mean that you might not be successful, since somebody will be, but the odds are firmly against you.

Where BAE is concerned, don't assume by the way that they are one big company - that's a fiction put about by their PR department. Apply separately to the HR department on each site - and always follow up by phone. Do the same with Qinetiq/MoD sites (who historically have been the best at offering such placements).

However, my best advice would be to see what you can get out of the smaller firms - they might often welcome underpaid but bright slave labour for a year (that is what you'll be, but don't worry about it - it's still going to be very rewarding). I'd pull CAP 475 (http://www.caa.co.uk/publications/publicationdetails.asp?id=217) (the CAA directory of approved companies) of their website and start going through it - look for the A1, E1 and E2 companies - those are most likely to be doing the sort of variety of work that will make your year rewarding and interesting.

Best of luck,

G

[ukeng]

Give McLaren cars a whirl. They're expanding at the mo and might welcome someone like yourself.
Website is mclarencars.co.uk I think.
Based Nr M25/A320 junction.

Failing that try all the F1 teams.

[nosefirsteverytime]

v nice. I'll probably be in the same position next year, so I'm watching this topic with interest.

A slight aside, but would a lot of these smaller companies have a stand in Paris 2005? I missed a lot of stands at Farnborough, and I wanted to get a few business cards, brochures, shpeel etc.

[FlyFreeWbe]

Thanks for all your help. I've downloaded that pdf file Genghis, i'll start looking through it after my lecture today. That website too ukeng. I'll be sharing the wealth with some mates down here too.
NFE, are there anymore events coming up before January?
Cheers
FFW

[Genghis the Engineer]

nosefirst I did something similar myself about 20 years ago. Paris and Farnborough are sales shows, not recruitment - but you'll meet a lot of engineers on the stands who understand what it is to be job hunting, and will be very sympathetic. If they treate you like they did me, they'll be helpful with advice, contacts, suggestions of how to apply to their particular companies. The other good show for this is Helitech at Duxford.

G

[nosefirsteverytime]

FlyFree, I have no idea. I'm currently in EI and Farnborough was a big trip that left me with little money ( poor student ) so unless it's on this side of the irish Sea, I won't know about it.

[FlyFreeWbe]

Hullo!Thought I'd give this thread a bit of life for a while..just to say that I've got myself a placement for the next accademic year (works different to normal working year methinks). Thanks for all your help, really appreciated it. Just to say that all those still looking for placements, keep trying. One of my lecturers, who happens to work for Rolls Royce training new recruits in 'the way', had a saying - "Anyone who's searching for a placement and works for it will get what they want". Best of luck to you all

(mscar, have you sorted yours as yet? let me know)

FFW

P.s. If u wanted to know where I'm working just out of shear interest, I'll tell you if you pm me

[Genghis the Engineer]

Well done on getting your placement, I hope you enjoy yourself. Don't forget to keep a detailed professional diary whilst there - it'll come in very useful for you in the future.

G