Careers Brief - Engineering (Design) HNC/D
Overview
The part-time HNC/D in Engineering (Design) will have given you a nationally recognised qualification to enhance your career development and the opportunity to continue your studies to honours degree level.
As a design engineer, you could be aiming to progress into senior design posts or project management, move into research and development, work as a consultant or self-employed on contracts, or move into other branches of engineering and product design. You could be working in a small or large design studio, design consultancy, production company or in-house within a major company.
Employers are looking for multi-skilled practitioners, with technical knowledge and creativity. In addition to your experience with relevant software, you should also promote general key transferable skills and competencies you have developed, including: being adaptable and a quick learner; effective communication; team working and working on your own initiative; analysing information and problem solving; multi-tasking and the ability to work to deadlines.
Further Study
Shortened full-time Top-up degree courses are designed for direct entry from HND. Use the Links on the HE Home page for information on the one year Top-up honours degree in Design Engineering at Bournemouth University.
Other institutions offering relevant top-up degrees: University of Portsmouth 'Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering', Harper Adams University College 'Engineering Design & Development'.
Alternatively, you could transfer into a degree course. Entry point would depend on your qualification, grades, industrial experience and overlap between courses. To search for other suitable honours degree courses, use www.ucas.com/search (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service for the UK). Use the university/college links for course details.
You will need to use UCAS (see link above) to apply for courses. Contact the Course Tutor of your chosen course to find out your position, before you make your formal application.
Find out how much this will cost you. Where is your funding coming from? Use the website www.aimhigher.ac.uk for information on student support.
Go to the main section on Further Study of this Guide for more information and help.
Resources
www.prospects.ac.uk
Graduate Prospects is the careers website for higher education students in the UK:
- Drop down 'Career advice' and click on 'Use your qualification' for 'Your HND...what next?'
- Drop down 'Communities' and click on 'Engineering, science and technology'
- Drop down 'My Prospects' and click on 'What jobs would suit me?' for Prospects Planner
jobseekers.direct.gov.uk
Careers database and links to jobs nationally. Search by either clicking on 'careers' and 'choosing a category' or typing in job title.
www.learndirect-advice.co.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles
Learn Direct - national learning advice
www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u
Jobs4U Careers Database - click on 'Job Families & Articles' or Quick Search by typing in job title
www.ied.org.uk
The Institution of Engineering Designers
www.theiet.org
The Institution of Engineering and Technology - go to 'Careers & Education'
www.semta.org.uk
Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies
www.get.hobsons.co.uk
Hobsons (publisher) Graduate Employment and Training
http://targetjobs.co.uk
GTI (publisher) graduate jobs and careers
www.insidecareers.co.uk
Inside Careers (publisher) Guide for graduates - go to 'Engineering and technology'
www.designdirectory.co.uk
The Directory of Design Consultants - search by Design Category and location
www.engc.org.uk
Engineering Council UK - accredited courses, how to become a registered engineer
www.bcs.org
The British Computer Society - click on 'Careers' for 'Job Profiles' 'Selling Yourself'
www.yell.com
Searchable UK directories
www.kellysearch.co.uk
Searchable global guides to manufacturers and services
