WANT to engineer yourself a bright future? Check out Tomorrow’s Engineers Week, which starts on Monday and aims to show what a good career engineering can be and the impact it has on the world’s wellbeing.
It is one of the UK’s biggest employment sectors, responsible for generating a quarter of our GDP. But despite its importance, it is in the grip of a skills shortage — with 186,000 recruits needed each year until 2024 to make up the shortfall.
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Now in its seventh year, 2019’s Tomorrow’s Engineers Week will focus on helping more women and ethnic minority students enter the sector. Fewer than 13 per cent of engineers are women, despite half of girls aged 11 to 14 saying they would consider a career in the sector.
Under eight per cent are from BAME backgrounds, compared to 12 per cent of the working population. The highlight of the week is The Royal Academy of Engineering’s This Is Engineering Day.
It takes place next Wednesday, when engineers, students, universities and colleges will share diverse images of the industry via social media accounts @ThisIsEng on Twitter and ThisIsEngineering on Instagram.
Engineering is one of the best-paid employment sectors, with average salaries around £47,000. Apprentice salaries are from £14,000 to £25,000 and top jobs pay six-figure salaries.
To find out more, go to bit.ly/2NltmI0.
Ear, ear for Lucy
FORMER violin teacher Lucy Richardson is the acoustics engineering team lead at appliance firm Dyson.
The 30-year-old, who worked on the development of the new ultra-quiet Dyson Supersonic hairdryer, joined the firm as a graduate after studying acoustical engineering at the University of Southampton.
Lucy, from Malmesbury, Wilts, says: “I love seeing the products I have worked on in the shops – and in my friends’ houses.
“It is a great feeling when a mate tells you how much they love using their new Dyson Supersonic hairdryer, and how it no longer wakes up their housemates in the morning when they dry their hair.
“To be a good engineer, you need to be curious. Ask questions, pull things apart to find out how they work, then think about how you could make them even better.
“If you are a woman, don’t think of yourself as a female engineer but be confident in your abilities and proud of the different perspective you can bring to product design.”
Purpose trumps profits
COMPANIES can no longer simply sell a product to make money – they are also expected to think about their purpose as well as their profit. Here business expert Gavin Russell, author of Transformation Timebomb, reveals how to find an employer who really puts purpose before profit . . .
- TALK to employees past and present. Many companies say they are purpose-driven but their staff can tell you if they practise what they preach. Sites such as LinkedIn can help you connect.
- CHECK independent peer- review sites, such as Glassdoor and TheJobCrowd. They also measure factors such as culture, values and environmental awareness.
- RESEARCH the ownership. Many companies are controlled or heavily influenced by third parties that may not have the same views as the potential employer.
- IS the company B Corps- certified? This legally requires companies to consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, suppliers, community and environment.
- IF you get to interview, ask for an example of how the firm’s purpose has influenced its approach to profitability.
40-day job hunt
HOPING to find a new job in the new year?
Then you better get a move on right now.
The average job application process takes 40 days from submitting a CV to being offered a role, according to specialist recruitment firm Michael Page.
Add in notice periods and Christmas holidays and it means you will need to apply by the middle of this month if you want to be taking up a new role in January next year.
Nick Kirk, UK managing director at Michael Page, says: “The average process takes over a month.
“Those who start seeking a new role in January may find themselves actually moving in March.”
Land at Gatwick
GET on board with a job at Gatwick as the airport hosts its annual careers fair.
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There will be more than 1,000 jobs on offer from 40 airport-based employers, including Sussex Police, Border Force, Govia Thameslink Rail, The Body Shop, KFC, Pret a Manger, Hamleys and Wetherspoon.
The event takes place on Thursday at the Arora Hotel, Crawley, West Sussex, from 10am to 5pm.
Lisa Clegg, from human resources at Gatwick, says: “It’s a great chance to speak to employers and to walk away with an exciting new job. Gatwick’s HR department will also be on hand to provide hints and tips on making your CV stand out.”
For more details, see bit.ly/2pnIMDu.
