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Challenging Auto & Marine Engineering Courses

Engineering covers a multitude of career options and skill levels. Those looking for a career in aeronautical engineering or automotive engineering are likely to be seeking work with challenge and innovation. In Britain we have a distinguished history in aeronautical engineering, with around six hundred companies working in the aerospace industry. With regard to the automotive sector Britain also plays a significant role here, with several hundred thousand people being involved in the industry.

Quality Training

There are a good number of universities in the UK offering BEng and MEng Degrees in Automotive Engineering and Aeronautical Engineering, several with international reputations. In addition, some offer post-grad courses for Engineering and Physical Sciences graduates. (There are of course less academic college courses available around the country). University students can choose from full-time three, four or five year courses, some with a year out in industry or at an alternative overseas university or learning establishment.

Those who need the facility to work alongside their study programme may find they can do a sandwich course. The Armed Forces and certain private companies will sponsor students to qualify in both of these disciplines, in exchange for an agreed period of working time. With so many variables open to you, it's a good idea to really research everything that's on offer.

Auto Engineering

Automotive engineering has come a long way in the last hundred years. Auto engineers need to have knowledge of several other engineering principles - primarily mechanical engineering. Modern vehicle engineers can utilise the latest technologies - for example in relation to electric cars or active suspensions.

We can split auto engineering into product or design engineering, development engineering and manufacturing engineering. Product or design engineers will first design all the parts and test them to make sure they perform properly. The engineering attributes of an automobile are the responsibility of development engineers. They liaise with designers with regard to technical specifications and so on. Working out how to actually assemble and produce the vehicle is the manufacturing engineers' job.

There's a terrific amount of knowledge for an automotive engineering student to learn. The various elements of your training will ensure you become proficient in core automotive subjects like engine design and vehicle dynamics. Safety engineering is one of the most important disciplines for the automotive engineer, and students will learn how assessments are carried out with various methods and tools.

Design engineers test individual components, but they must also be tested to prove synchronicity with the vehicle as a whole. For that reason, students must understand something about systems engineering. This can also involve understanding tradeoffs, a process which ensures that all the vehicle attributes are delivered at an acceptable level. Development engineering is also concerned with testing and ensuring the finished vehicle will comply with legal requirements.

Following on from the product and development stages, comes the processes needed for manufacturing. This is where it all comes together, and so every last detail has to be planned and engineered. This work includes project management of tools, machines, people and safety procedures.

Aero Engineering

Our obsession with flight over the years has created this very diverse and exciting branch of engineering. If you qualify at degree level or above in Aeronautical Engineering, you will have proved yourself worthy to enter the fascinating business of aerospace. You might also be interested to know that the development and design of a Formula One racing car uses aerospace technology!

Contemporary flight vehicles must endure very severe conditions such as differences in temperature and atmospheric pressure. Consequently the building of an aircraft will take many engineering disciplines and aeronautical engineers will all deal in specialist technologies.

Degree courses will cover design, systems (such as landing gear), flight mechanics, forces, materials, performance and stability. A thorough treatment of analytical subjects will be included. Examples of analytical subjects are Fluid Mechanics, Thermodynamics and Dynamics. Computational fluid dynamics is used to simulate the behaviour of fluid today, which reduces wind-tunnel testing time and expense. (Students though will still carry out wind tunnel tests, and engage in experiments using jet engines).

Both Auto and Aero engineering students will benefit from a good deal of practical application. You can expect a group project that requires students to design a complete vehicle or aircraft, along with significant individual projects. Automotive and Aeronautical Engineering training courses may also cover more broad-based subjects and transferable skills. Things like oral communication, leadership skills and teamwork might be on the list.

Well paid, rewarding and financially attractive careers are available for qualified Automotive and Aeronautical Engineers. Graduate engineers can apply to Professional Institutions to become certified with the Engineering Council - an organisation that works to ensure the UK is well served by its engineering resources.