How Do I Get Into The Engineering Industry?

Engineering is vast. There are 728329 routes to take, all super interesting and begging for talented young professionals like yourself to join their ranks. Whether it’s environmental engineering or biochemical, there’s a place for you. But how do you get into it?

Not quite sure what engineering is? We have a very detailed industry guide for you to get into. Click below for more:

There are many factors to consider. Education, skillset and more. Read on to find out how you can get into the engineering industry. 

• Expand your knowledge
• What skills do I need?
• Networking opportunities
• How do I gain practical experience? 

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Expand your knowledge

If you’re already studying engineering, perf! Commonly, you’ll need to have some form of educational background in engineering, maths, physics or related fields. 

But if you’re not, there are ways to bump up your knowledge. Virtual events and workshops are a fantastic way of getting your foot through the door and meeting industry experts. Some of our recommendations are:

• The Institute of Engineering in Scotland. They hold loads of virtual (and a couple of in-person events) every single month. 
• The Welding Institute. They hold many webinars and seminars covering a wide range of engineering subjects. 
• YouTube Videos. There are many YouTubers who focus on teaching in the engineering industry. 
• TED. There are plenty of TED Talks focused on the engineering industry. There are also articles you can read too.
• University Workshops. It’s quite common for your university to hold workshops for those who are enrolled in engineering courses. Make sure you attend these, they’re super beneficial. 

Every job is different and engineering is super diverse, so it’s worth exploring the kinds of engineering you want to work in and finding the relevant course or extra-curricular activity. There is never any harm in pursuing extra knowledge 😉

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What skills do I need?

Skills are everything. These can differ depending on what role you have within the company and what type of engineering you’re working in. 

Soft Skills

These are skills you have been flexing from birth, even more so now you’re at uni. Whether it’s being part of a society, your hobbies or a part-time job. You are the literal Bridgit Mendler of skills. Here’s a few of them; 

• Teamwork
• Innovation
• Quick thinking
• Attention-to-detail 
• Result-orientated.

You can gain key skills (and a certificate) from our FREE virtual course. Register below to receive the recordings:

Hard Skills

This is where we get technical. If by chance you already have these, that’s actually pretty damn cool, but often your employer will train you on how to do these. 

• Data Analytics
• Mathematics
• Science
• Knowledge of how to use specific software tools, for example;
  • BricsCAD
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Autodesk Inventor
  • AutoCAD.

Software skills especially are useful for going into software engineering, read our blog to learn more about securing yourself a software engineering internship!

What skills are favoured and needed will depend on the company and job. Make sure you’re checking the job description, these will help you know what the employer is looking for. 

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Networking opportunities

These are key for competitive industries like engineering. Not only are these great for getting to meet new people but also a means of learning more about the industry as well.

Some ways you can do this are through:

• LinkedIn Groups. There are plenty of LinkedIn groups within the engineering industry such as…
  • Civil Engineering & Construction Engineering
  • Automation & Control Engineering
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Aerospace Engineering
• In-person Events. In-person networking is also great. There are loads of events held every single year where you can meet like-minded people or speak with a representative from employers.:
  • The Institution of Engineering and Technology. They hold loads of networking events for different areas of Engineering all around the UK, which are very often free to attend. 
  • ChemUK Expo. They’re holding a chemical engineering show in May 2025 in Birmingham, which is free to attend. 
  • Southern Manufacturing & Electronics. They’re holding a free-to-attend, 3-day event in Farnborough International for everything engineering and manufacturing. 
  • WhatCareerLive? This event is happening in London next November and is free to attend. 
  • Your University Careers Fairs. Check out your university’s upcoming events, these often happen in the Autumn and Spring terms, so definitely worth checking out to speak with employers. 
  • Specific Employer Events. If you have a company that you want to work for, check out their events page and see if any are open to the public. This is a great opportunity to get your foot in the door at these firms before applying. 
• University Societies. Check your student union website and see if there are any engineering societies. There might also be more specific types of engineering societies that are worth checking out too. 

Get your foot in the door, make connections and get your name out there!

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How do I gain practical experience?

You can do an insight scheme, internship, placement or graduate job!

There are plenty of opportunities on our website to find work experience, and you can see our best student employers in the engineering industry

You also have the chance to read reviews on how students found their work experience with these employers so you can understand if that would be a good company for you.

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At the end of the day, what you will need to do to get into the industry will depend on what role you’re looking for and what part of engineering you’re interested in. But these points are a good place to start.

Good luck!

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