Mechanical Engineering

• Studying: 16%
• Employed in graduate job: 49%
• Employed in non-graduate job: 16%
• Unemployed: 14%

• Average graduate salary: £24,337
• Average non-graduate salary: £14,764

A mechanical engineering degree is a combination of maths, science, technology, business and management. Throughout your studies, you acquire not only an understanding of general engineering principles but also a range of transferable skills. 

Consider the skills developed on your course as well as through your other activities, such as paid work, volunteering, family responsibilities, sport, membership of societies, leadership roles, etc. Think about how these can be used as evidence of your skills and personal attributes. Then you can start to market and sell who you really are, identify what you may be lacking and consider how to improve your profile.

View the best universities for mechanical engineering degrees.

Prospects

A 2010 HESA survey of 2009 graduates, indicates that six months after graduation, just over 60% of mechanical engineering graduates were in employment in the UK or overseas. Of these, just over half secured professional engineering roles while nearly 8% were working in the commercial, industrial and public sectors.

Many employers in the engineering sector offer graduate training programmes, which usually support progression to chartered engineer status with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE)

Where are the jobs?

Mechanical engineering is widely reputed to be one of the most diverse engineering disciplines and deals with the design, development, installation, operation and maintenance of anything that has moving parts.

Because of its wide subject area, you will find mechanical engineering opportunities in a range of sectors, including: manufacturing; construction; aerospace; automotive; energy; railways; sport; and medicine.

You will also have the skills necessary for careers in business and management, IT, finance and law.

Jobs directly related to your degree

A degree in mechanical engineering will prepare you for work as a:

• Mechanical engineer
• Aeronautical engineer
• Automotive engineer
• Petroleum engineer
• Maintenance engineer

Jobs where your degree would be useful

The skills you gain studying mechanical engineering will also be useful in positions such as:

• Mining or drilling engineer
• Water engineer
• Production manager
• Patent attorney
• IT consultant

Although some of the jobs listed here might not be first jobs for many graduates, they are among the many realistic possibilities with your degree, provided you can demonstrate you have the attributes employers are looking for. Bear in mind that it's not just your degree discipline that determines your options. Remember that many graduate vacancies don't specify particular degree disciplines, so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here.

Included with the permission of AGCAS and Graduate Prospects. For the latest version of this publication, see www.prospects.ac.uk. For permission to reproduce, contact copyright@agcas.org.uk. We would welcome your comments on this section of The Complete University Guide. Please email us at admin@thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk.