engineer -> business?

[McAero]

Hi all,

What are the options available for aerospace/avionics engineers (graduate right through to chartered) who wish to make a change in career, say for example to move into business management or finance? Any ideas? Would anyone recommend it?

Thanks

From a very curious soon-to-be avionics graduate.

[Blacksheep]

You might well refer to Ghengis's topic on engineering qualifications McAero.

I've made the change from purely engineering / maintenance matters to the strategic level, but this involved educating myself in economics, accounting and finance.

The message is that you can manage a change in career without necessarily changing industry. I would recommend it, certainly.

[McAero]

Thanks for the reply there.

Ideally I would love to stay in the Aerospace industry. I'm graduating in June with a B.Eng(Joint Hons) in Avionics but just trying to keep all options open.

Where can I find genghis's page on qualifications?

cheers

[Blacksheep]

Its the one about Chartered Engineer status and Fellowship of the RAeS, here on this forum McAero. Engineers have a hard time getting recognition for their knowledge and capabilities.

Many companies have graduate entry management trainee schemes and they don't necessarily discriminate on the basis of what degree you have. These are general management fast track schemes, but it would be a shame to waste your university studies by moving straight to another field, better to stick with the avionics engineering.

It takes practical experience as well as academic knowledge to be a successful engineer. There's no way to gain credibility without being prepared to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty. At least in the beginning. Business management can come later, once you know a bit about engineering from a practical point of view. If you want to get out of engineering into another field, do try working at the bottom end for a while first. In fact many of those management trainee schemes require it. It doesn't matter what business you're in, the most successful managers are those who understand the nuts and bolts.

Then there's so many of those MBA's who believe that every business can be run just by manipulating the financial numbers, but that's another story. Bean counters know the price of everything but the value of nothing...

Whatever you do, don't become a bean-counter.

[Golden Rivet]

If you want to get out of engineering into another field, do try working at the bottom end for a while first.

At least I now know which end of the hierarchal tree I reside in. :ok:

[Blacksheep]

I wouldn't say that GR, there's a whole world of servicemen and drivers down there at the bottom. We engineers are such a bunch of self deprecating chaps aren't we? No wonder we let 'them' walk all over us... ;)

He's due to become an engineering graduate and if he moves into, lets say, retail management I reckon he'd better be prepared to do a bit of shelf filling, stock taking and till rattling before he moves into corporate HQ. And if he stays in engineering it wouldn't do him any harm to try his hand at some of those tool fetching, torch holding, grease gun wielding jobs to learn his way about before shuffling off to the back office, designing avionic systems.

[McAero]

You're absolutely right and in fact, when I worked at an aircraft tyre company for 8 weeks, they were looking at having me on the floor for a week just so I could get a clearer understanding of what the actual tyre manufacturing process was. Needless to say the management team decided my time would be better served working on the system I was employed to set up, but the idea was there.

I have applied to the big guns' graduate schemes, and would expect to get first hand practical experience. I didn't think for a second I would be jumping straight in as a manager, or even an avionics designer. I just don't have those skills yet, only the potential to learn them.

I had just heard that a lot of engineers go into other areas - not necessarily technical....but it seems the general consensus is to stay with Avionics for the time being, or simulation, or communications.............I'll be delighted if I can get a job actually!

[Genghis the Engineer]

When you are a student or graduate, getting that sort of experience is relatively easy - and embrace it when you get the chance. Particularly if you are destined to a primarily desk-based job, this experience is invaluable in your professional education.

As I progress through my career - and yes I do spend much of my time behind a desk, I have to fight harder and harder to maintain my right to get out and get my hands dirty on a real aeroplane / laboratory / workshop. If I don't, it's my firm belief (if not my bosses!) that my skills behind a desk degrade significantly and I cease to be as effective as I should be. Nonetheless, the foundation of that experience gained as a young (and less expensive) Engineer is still the foundation of what I do now.

Ultimately this business is about flying aeroplanes, building and mending them is one step removed, and designing and analysing them a couple more steps away. You must understand what's going on as close to the aeroplane as you can or you'll never be a good Engineer.

G