At The Forefront of Science With Engineering Studies
Engineering covers a multitude of career options and skill levels. Should you fancy yourself as an aeronautical or automotive engineer, you're probably hoping to stretch yourself technically and logically.
According to Loughborough University, there are more than 600 companies in the aerospace industry in Britain alone, with a combined turnover in excess of 17 billion pounds. Similarly the automotive industry here provides design, development and manufacturing work for around three hundred thousand people.
Getting The Right Qualifications
There are a good number of universities in the UK offering BEng and MEng Degrees in Automotive Engineering and Aeronautical Engineering, several with international reputations. Also more advanced PhD courses are offered on some campuses. (Shorter courses are available from local technical institutions as well.) Most degree courses last from between three and five years, depending on whether the student is working towards BEng or MEng, and whether a year in industry is opted for.
Those who need the facility to work alongside their study programme may find they can do a sandwich course. The Armed Forces and certain private companies will sponsor students to qualify in both of these disciplines, in exchange for an agreed period of working time. It's important to take your time and really explore all the different training possibilities that are available.
Automotive Engineers
Every facet of a motorised machine has been developed because of automotive engineering. Today's auto engineers need to understand electronic and software engineering as well as mechanical and electrical. There's a lot to take on board, and new technologies are being developed all the time - often to deal with government environmental standards.
We can split auto engineering into product or design engineering, development engineering and manufacturing engineering. Product or design engineers will first design all the parts and test them to make sure they perform properly. Development engineers are concerned with the attributes or qualities of the complete vehicle. Developers supply designers with various specs they have to comply with. Finally, the manufacturing engineers will work out how to actually make the vehicle.
There's a terrific amount of knowledge for an automotive engineering student to learn. Subjects will include performance, ergonomics, emissions, fuel economy, aerodynamics and vehicle dynamics to name but a few. As safety is vital, designs have to go through various crash scenarios to test their impact on the vehicle occupants.
All the components of a vehicle have to do the job they're individually designed for, but also be brought together and function harmoniously. So an understanding of development engineering is necessary. This area also covers trade-offs - such as learning how to achieve performance whilst maintaining fuel economy. Finally the development engineer has to conduct tests on the full vehicle, such as level testing, validation and certification.
The process is ready for the manufacturing engineers once all the product design and development work has been done. This is where it all comes together, and so every last detail has to be planned and engineered. This complex discipline is sometimes regarded as the most esteemed area of automotive engineering.
Engineering - Aeronautical
Aero engineering is all about turning ideas into reality by applying scientific principles to produce sophisticated flight products. Studying for an aeronautical engineering degree will prepare you for a successful and highly respected career within the aerospace industry. You could also choose a career in motor racing, as aircraft engineering is the basis for Formula One design.
Modern aeroplanes have to undergo many severe conditions in order to safely negotiate the skies. As such, aircraft vehicles are usually the product of many aerospace engineering technologies, for example avionics, propulsion and aerodynamics. The aeronautical engineer will choose his or her speciality.
Degree courses will cover design, systems (such as landing gear), flight mechanics, forces, materials, performance and stability. A thorough treatment of analytical subjects will be included. Examples of analytical subjects are Fluid Mechanics, Thermodynamics and Dynamics.
Much of what you will learn is based on theoretical mathematics, but empirical testing also comes into it - admittedly largely in the form of simulations. (However students will still carry out experiments using jet engines, large structural testing machines and wind tunnels).
Group ventures are important when learning engineering skills. Whichever programme you choose to follow, as a student engineer you will be involved with a major group design project at some time throughout your training. Automotive and Aeronautical Engineering training courses may also cover more broad-based subjects and transferable skills. These could include time management, teamwork, organisational techniques, leadership and foreign languages.
Aeronautical and automotive engineers are at the forefront of technological advances, and can make a valuable contribution to society. For information about joining a professional body upon completion of your training, refer to the Engineering Council, or SARTOR (the Standards and Routes to Registration).
