Case studies - engineering & building management

• Civil engineering
• Electrical engineering and applied electronics
• Mechanical engineering

Matt

Matt is a structural engineer with Parsons Brinckerhoff, a large multinational civil engineering consultancy firm, concerned with infrastructure consultancy. This is an American company with offices throughout the world.

He successfully completed a three-year BEng in Civil Engineering at the University of Birmingham. Prior to going to university he gained A-levels in maths, physics and geography with a view to going to university to study civil engineering. He had a very clear interest in a career in building and structures when he made his A-level choices.

During his degree course he undertook a two-month placement with Corus Rail, York - a structural consultancy firm involved in the design of rail bridges. This developed his interest in the structural side of civil engineering.

After completing his degree he obtained a job as a structural engineer soon after graduating. This was with another multinational civil engineering consultancy firm. Six months later he moved jobs to his present one at Parsons Brinckerhoff. Matt is involved in the design of rail bridges, which is the area of structural engineering he gained experience in whilst doing his placement with Corus Rail.

Matt is currently working towards gaining chartered status with the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE). He is supported in this by his employer who is happy to provide the necessary supervision to gain chartership. His career aims are to get chartered, work on bigger projects and to get work at one of the company's overseas offices.

Peter (graduated 1998)

Peter first became interested in technology at school where he helped with productions doing lighting and special effects. He applied for sponsorship for his degree with an electricity board who gave him six weeks of training before university and employed him during the summer vacations. These placements consisted of both company training courses and hands-on experience.

Following graduation, Peter’s first year with the electricity board involved training in power generation and distribution and also experience in technical and non-technical departments. Peter was then given a developmental role and following this, was involved in a major project implementing a new IT system to regulate the power distribution in the South West.

Peter’s current role involves estimating demand for the next decade to feed into the planning figures. He is also standby manager for a large area, leading a team of technical staff who respond to emergencies such as lightning strikes. Peter is also studying towards professional membership of the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE).

Peter’s advice to engineering undergraduates wanting to enter the industry is to make sure that they combine their academic studies with vacation or sandwich placements in industry.

He believes that the combination of practical and academic work as an undergraduate is the key to finding the right job.

Rebecca (graduated 1997)

While at university, Rebecca spent her vacations and a year placement working as an engineer for the Ministry of Defence, but decided that engineering wasn’t for her as a long-term career. On graduation one of the options she researched was investment banking, having attended presentations during her final year. She joined the investment banking division of a High Street bank in 1998 on the graduate analyst training scheme and is currently a manager in the Business Change Team in Operations. She did not feel she was at a disadvantage without a finance or business-related degree as the month-long induction course provided a good introduction to banking and the remainder is learning on the job.

The first year of the programme was spent on rotations in operations and she then joined the business change team where her role has been strongly project-based. The overall purpose of the projects is to develop new ways of working, leading to better processes and reporting systems, therefore improving efficiency and profitability. As a manger she analyses systems, produces new specifications and co-ordinates the testing and implementation of a new system. The role involves a lot of liaison and work with colleagues across the bank and in particular in IT.

Rebecca likes the troubleshooting nature of project work and the fact that she doesn’t always know what is going to happen each day.

Phil

Brief job description: to help sell Pilkington Planar TM, which is the company's unique frameless glazing system. My role involves meeting architects, using my technical knowledge to help them with designs and costing for glass facades, and guiding them to incorporate our product into their design specification.

How did I become a technical sales engineer? After gaining an honours degree in mechanical engineering, I joined a manufacturer of diesel engines as a postgraduate trainee. I worked in a wide range of departments including quality, finance, tendering and research and development, before settling in the design department for two years. I then joined Pilkington in '97 to work as a design engineer for the Planar TM system. Two years later I was offered the chance to become a technical sales engineer and look after the company's Middle East market. I saw the invitation as a great opportunity to travel, meet new people, learn more about the commercial aspects of the business and get a better understanding of how the company works as a whole.

Technical know-how is more important than selling skills in this job. The company needs people who can hold their own with architects and earn their respect. During my time with Pilkington I've received in-house training on product knowledge, technical skills and business. I'm currently studying a course on architecture, building design and construction, which is run through Pilkington by an external training company - and I'm also pursuing chartered engineer status.

A typical day? I don't have one and that's a great part of the job. I can be visiting architects, giving presentations, talking with engineers from our company or in the office building design proposals. Travel abroad was a big part of the job before war broke out in the Gulf. I was usually out of the country about once a month visiting places such as Dubai, Kuwait, Bahrain, Beirut and Turkey. I've also had the opportunity to travel to Hong Kong, Singapore and Korea. Now, I'm slowly becoming more involved in the UK market - currently more than half my work is based here. I travel to meet architects and customers in the UK about twice a week. Although I'm often away for anywhere between a night and a fortnight, I have never had to move home because of my job.

The hours can be long. Office hours are typically 8.30am to 5pm, but when travelling you tend to only be really 'off duty' when you're asleep. However, customers you work with during the day often take you out for dinner at night and provide entertainment.

The most rewarding apsects of the job? Travelling to new parts of the world has been a great experience. It has opened my eyes to how different cultures live and work. Other rewards include good pay, a company car, the camaraderie of working in a team, and I enjoy putting proposals together. People generally listen to you, respect your opinion and understand what you're telling them is right. There's also the thrill of the sale. It's great when you've been there from the beginning, guiding the architect and then see the finished building.

As with any job, there are stresses. There's a pressure to win work, hit sales targets and get projects out on time. But you're not singled out to meet targets, it's a real team effort.

What do you need to make it as a technical sales engineer? A good degree, a strong technical background, and the ability to get on with different kinds of people. Letting somebody down can mean they're reluctant to deal with you again, so you definitely need to know what you're talking about and be reliable.