Career Advice 1

[DannyZucko]

Hello,
I am an electrician from Scotland currently working offshore. I will shortly complete a HNC Electrical Engineering.
I am interested in becoming an electrical power engineer however I am unable to leave work and attend Uni full time.
Online I have found a MSc Electrical Power Engineering Degree with Bath Uni which they offer as Distance Learning.
This course is over 4/5 years and is all or nothing, you can only graduate with MSc.
An other option is the open uni, however this would be a general BEng Engineering.
Or I could study as far as a HND and leave it there.
Are there any other options available to study to BEng.
Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[ScottyUK]

Bath has a very good reputation for its full-time electrical power courses, along with Manchester, Newcastle, Southampton and Imperial. I don't know which of these offer distance courses. I think Bath has / had close ties with the Grid and likely has a bias toward transmission. A good degree from any of the above listed on a CV would get my attention.

I wouldn't bother with the O.U. degree if you are wanting to go into the power sector: I would be looking for something more focussed on power. When I'm looking through the CVs of graduates and potential employees, those who followed a course which doesn't have an electrical machines class beyond foundation level are usually disregarded out of hand unless there is something else absolutely outstanding about the candidate. Maybe I'm overly picky, but I don't really care if I am: it really pisses me off how many higher education establishments have abandoned power and send out graduates who don't know anything about the subject, then expect companies like ours to recruit them anyway. Well screw that, I'm gonna be picky.

Incidentally, power is a damned fine career choice (I'm not biased... honestly!) and is one of the few sectors where employers are struggling to fill vacancies. Good luck!


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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[DannyZucko]

Thanks
This was the type of advice I was looking for.

 

[Marmite]

There is an other option. The Company I work for sponsors engineers through university and on job training. Of course, I'm biased but its an excellent Company to work for and an excellent training scheme.

http://www.scottish-southern.co.uk/SSEinternet/PowerfulOpportunities/Public/TraineeEngineers.aspx

Regards
Marmite