Rajaishree asks:
I’m interested in aeronautics. However I don’t know how much work experience I will need to become a good engineer. I am in year 10 at Loughborough High and I have been informed about a engineering work experience weeks with the RAF in Birmingham for girls in year 10. However I have a public examination in these week so I cannot go. I’m worried that I may have very slim chances of getting any work experience at all. Please may I have some advice on how I should go forward? Thank you.
The Women’s Engineering Society http://www.wes.org.uk will be at the British Science festival on Saturday 18 September (no exams then
)with an event called ‘My Sparkling Career’ 11:30 – details to be announced soon. You could also contact the WES student coordinator at spc@wes.org.uk and or the WES office – info@wes..org.uk Sorry we can’t help right now but perhaps in the future!
Jen Rogers replies:
In terms of work experience, it depends how you are planning to study engineering as to when you will need to gain this. If you are planning to go to University, you may find you are able to use the summer holidays between now and finishing your A levels to look for various oppportunities for work experience. Also many degree courses these days offer sandwich courses where you get to work in a placement company for one year of your degree. Here at RR we have many summer & yearly interns and work experience opportunities – you can find information at: http://www.rolls-royce.com/careers/index.jsp
Also as you live in the Midlands, you will find there are many opportunities at all sorts of companies. You could try searching on the internet for key engineering companies in the Midlands that you are able to travel to and get in touch with them to see what opportunities they offer. Not all companies will advertise that they provide work experience opportunities. Also, think about people in your family or parents of friends – do any of them work in the right sort of company that you would be interested in learning more about? Perhaps you could talk to the person who is organising the work experience at the RAF to see if they have any summer holiday opportunities? Or contact them via the website http://www.raf.mod.uk/careers/jobs/ about other work experience opportunities that are coming up.
If you are not planning on going to University, most large engineering organisations will offer apprenticeships that you can start at 16 straight after GCSE’s, so this may also be an option depending on what your plans are.
Overall, I would say don’t worry about not being able to get work experience. Women in engineering are still a minority group and therefore although there may be competition for places on work experience/internships, I’m sure your natural enthusiasm and interest in the subject would help you in getting work experience. Also the fact that you are so interested already when you are in year 10 shows a level of commitment which is not always present in many people your age, so the fact that you have several summer holidays ahead of you where you can look for work experience is a bonus. As long as you realise there will be a level of effort on your part to find and secure relevant and useful work experience, then I’m sure you will be fine.
Hope this helps and good luck!