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Build a career in engineering and manufacturing
This career guide is designed to help University of Portsmouth students and recent graduates explore job options, key employers, and entry routes into the engineering and manufacturing sectors.
In this guide
Potential Job Roles
Prospects has a useful list of job profiles, each containing relevant information about key responsibilities, skill requirements, starting salaries, entry requirements, career prospects with links to major employers and current graduate vacancies. Some roles include:
Professional Registration
Some jobs may require professional registration. These can include:
Engineering Technician (EngTech)
Information and Communications Technology Technician (ICTTech)
Further manufacturing qualifications include:
Certified Quality Engineer (CQE)
Gaining Experience
Undertaking work experience is invaluable to develop expertise and the all-important transferable skills, which will help you demonstrate your motivation and commitment to this area of work. The key to success is to prepare thoroughly, do your research and organise your experience in good time. Think about small and medium size companies as well as large organisations.
Types of opportunities
Placements usually last between 6-12 months and can be taken as part of your degree programme. A placement year in the engineering sector will provide you with an invaluable insight into working life and offer a unique opportunity to apply the industry knowledge you are learning as part of your studies. If you are interested in completing a placement year, speak to the Placement Team within the Careers & Employability Service.
Find out more about placements
Many Engineering students do a Self-Employed Placement, working on their own business idea while gaining useful entrepreneurial skills.
An internship is a short-term work experience opportunity which can provide relevant, industry-specific skills and experience.
These opportunities usually last between one to four months and typically take place over the summer.
Getting involved in volunteering gives you the opportunity to develop employability skills and experience a variety of working environments. Discover opportunities through the Volunteering Bank on MyCareer, listing roles like:
- STEM Ambassador with STEM Learning
- Boat Restoration Volunteer with Boathouse 4
- Repairer at Repair Cafe
Useful resources to find placements and internship
- HigherIn – offers information on placements, internships, insights and work experience with a range of companies and organisations across the engineering sector.
- Gradcracker – as the UK’s careers website for Technology students, Gradcracker provides a search function for placements and internships relevant to your degree discipline.
- TARGETjobs – provides information on different career sectors within engineering, with the ability to search for placement and internship opportunities.
- Prospects – has its own search tool for work experience opportunities across sectors, including mechanical, manufacturing and electronic engineering.
- Milkround – provides a search tool for internships and industrial placements across sectors, including engineering and manufacturing.
- Bright Network - gives listings of internships, placements, graduate jobs, special events with employers and general career advice across all sectors
- Beetroot – links to a variety of internships and placements in the UK, including across engineering sectors.
- Step Recruitment – provider of paid student and graduate internships and placements across a range of sectors, including engineering.
Finding a Graduate Job
Recruiters in Engineering and Manufacturing
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Aerospace industry
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Automotive industry
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Design and manufacturing companies
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Energy companies
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Food and drink manufacturers
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Oil and gas companies
Where to find opportunities
We recommend starting your search using our online jobs board, MyCareer. You can also find general online job boards and advice through our Graduate Jobs page.
Sector Specific Job Boards
Speculative applications
Speculative applications involve sending a CV and cover letter to an employer to ask if they have any vacancies, even if the company is not currently advertising for a role. They're a great way to access "hidden jobs" that go unadvertised.
Submitting a speculative application shows your interest in a specific company and your willingness to go above and beyond to develop your skills and understanding of the industry.
Where to start your job search
Below are some key sector specific job sites:
Recruitment agencies
Recruitment consultants work with individuals to help them find suitable work to match their skills. Agency Central is the UK's leading recruitment agency directory. An advanced search and filter system finds the agencies which match your needs.
Are you looking for a role in Hampshire? Our Graduate Recruitment Consultancy can help!
If you're in the final year of your degree, you can register for support from our Graduate Recruitment Consultancy. They work with over 3,000 employers in the local area to place our students into fantastic graduate careers.
Start your own business
Freelancing is another popular career path for those in accounting, finance and economics. Many rely on their portfolio, self-promotion or networking to generate work. Our Student Startup team can offer further support with freelancing and starting your own business.
Keeping up to date
Below are some key resources to help you research opportunities available. The knowledge gained through your research prior to your search for opportunities may help you to target your applications and will help when preparing for interviews.
- Insitution of Engineering and Technology – Professional engineering institution providing information on latest news and features from the IET knowledge network.
- Institution of Mechanical Engineers – IMechE is an independent society that represents mechanical engineers.
- TARGETjobs – Provides information and advice for graduate engineers. Find out what industry sectors you can work in, how much you could earn and how to apply for jobs.
- The Engineer – An online resource for the engineering industry and provides the latest news and features, and details on new products and forthcoming events.
- Industrial Technology – A site which provides events of interest and importance happening in the engineering and manufacturing world.
- RaceChip – offers a resource specifically for Automotive Engineer students to help them learn more about the industry.
- Space Crew - An online jobs board for finding jobs in engineering and manufacturing in the space sector.
- Make UK – A leading supply chain sourcing and development service representing the interests of businesses in the defence, aerospace, space and security sectors.
- Institute of the Motor Industry – Provides careers information and resources for those interested in the motor industry.
- Fluidjobs - a range of articles, blogs and podcasts about getting into the motorsport industry - also has a graduate jobs board
Explore more from the Careers Service
CVs, portfolios and cover letters
Find out how to increase your chances of getting an interview by writing a strong CV and completing a successful application.
Building work experience
Get hands-on industry experience and showcase your knowledge before you graduate!
Graduate job search guide
Learn about the types of roles you will encounter, and how to search for roles.
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