MEng or BEng?
Join Date: Dec 2010
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I graduated a couple of years ago with a BEng.
Took a couple of months off after finishing to enjoy summer, then took a carp job for a few months after that for reasons which aren't important here. Took me 5 minutes to pick up that job.
I looked for an engineering job about a year go, when it was a very dire situation. Took a non graduate job on poor pay, which took me a day to get.
After a 5 months I'd increased my salary to above graduate rates and changed job roles twice, and it now pays for my flight training and bills with enough spare for a beer every now and then, and my bosses are very supportive and help me to take short notice opportunities.
Don't take everything at face value when it comes to employment. For the record, I'm glad I just did the BEng. I have friends who started their MEng courses at the same time as me who are only just graduating. They have huge debts, and even the guys who managed MEng Firsts are going to come into a job getting paid a lot less than me.
Took a couple of months off after finishing to enjoy summer, then took a carp job for a few months after that for reasons which aren't important here. Took me 5 minutes to pick up that job.
I looked for an engineering job about a year go, when it was a very dire situation. Took a non graduate job on poor pay, which took me a day to get.
After a 5 months I'd increased my salary to above graduate rates and changed job roles twice, and it now pays for my flight training and bills with enough spare for a beer every now and then, and my bosses are very supportive and help me to take short notice opportunities.
Don't take everything at face value when it comes to employment. For the record, I'm glad I just did the BEng. I have friends who started their MEng courses at the same time as me who are only just graduating. They have huge debts, and even the guys who managed MEng Firsts are going to come into a job getting paid a lot less than me.
Mr Grimsdale,
I'm guessing it was to do with the severe workload involved. Never seen him so stressed out in my life and hes a whizz at Maths. He secured a job in the Finance area for when he finishes up this summer. He told me the MEng Degree would of got him into the same job 2 years ago if he hadn't of done the 2 year MSc.
Dave
I'm guessing it was to do with the severe workload involved. Never seen him so stressed out in my life and hes a whizz at Maths. He secured a job in the Finance area for when he finishes up this summer. He told me the MEng Degree would of got him into the same job 2 years ago if he hadn't of done the 2 year MSc.
Dave
Join Date: May 2001
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The prob with any Eng post grad is that it keeps you away from the job market.
A year of industrial experence under your belt is worth more than a year post grad.
Until you have served your time in industry your an unknown quanity and until you have worked 3-5 years your actually pretty useless. Doing a post grad doesn't really change this fact.
A year of industrial experence under your belt is worth more than a year post grad.
Until you have served your time in industry your an unknown quanity and until you have worked 3-5 years your actually pretty useless. Doing a post grad doesn't really change this fact.
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Join Date: Aug 2007
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Thanks for the great replies. I'm aiming to have summer work experience lined up for next summer. By that that I'll have 75% of my degree completed and it would seem a sensible time to get some contacts in the industry. This summer I'm just planning on getting money together but beginning to look into various work placements. That would allow me to graduate with a BEng have work experience under me and enhance my chances of getting a job should I choose not to carryout the flying.
I already have a little work experience working for a big engineering firm the summer before I started uni so I guess a little is better than none!
I already have a little work experience working for a big engineering firm the summer before I started uni so I guess a little is better than none!
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Sounds like a plan.
You are doing all the right things. It was always quite amusing listening to the other students holiday jobs when we got back.
Our course had all earned heaps of cash doing a wide range of well paying jobs from the ones who were time served through to one lad who worked as an undertaker with a side line in grave digging. The fact you did something during the summer break is better than alot of folk and if its engineering related even better.
You are doing all the right things. It was always quite amusing listening to the other students holiday jobs when we got back.
Our course had all earned heaps of cash doing a wide range of well paying jobs from the ones who were time served through to one lad who worked as an undertaker with a side line in grave digging. The fact you did something during the summer break is better than alot of folk and if its engineering related even better.
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Join Date: Aug 2007
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Thats good to hear mad_jock 
Unfortunatley my job isn't that interesting. Working in a shop can be a bit mind numbing. Although, proving the customer is not always right helps pass the time! Money is money at the end of the day and I'm just spending my time lining up some possible engineering placements for next year.
Unfortunatley my job isn't that interesting. Working in a shop can be a bit mind numbing. Although, proving the customer is not always right helps pass the time! Money is money at the end of the day and I'm just spending my time lining up some possible engineering placements for next year.
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Remeber where there is muck there is brass.
Have a look for jobs that nobody else wants and they are usually quite well paid.
I drove a bin wagon for 3 months much to the hilarity of some. They soon changed there tune though when they found out I was on 9 quid an hour plus over time from the council and this was in the days you got 4 quid an hour for working in a bar.
edited to add you in Scotland surely you can get a labouring job or the like in an Engineering firm? I started out aged 15 in the oil yards in Aberdeen slinging pipe.
Have a look for jobs that nobody else wants and they are usually quite well paid.
I drove a bin wagon for 3 months much to the hilarity of some. They soon changed there tune though when they found out I was on 9 quid an hour plus over time from the council and this was in the days you got 4 quid an hour for working in a bar.
edited to add you in Scotland surely you can get a labouring job or the like in an Engineering firm? I started out aged 15 in the oil yards in Aberdeen slinging pipe.
