I wish to develop career in rotating equipment engineering

[abdulbasitb]

I have a high interest in rotating equipment engineering (preferably in gas industry) but struggling to get experience.

I've been working in the water industry for 3 years in Australia and have practical experience of pumps and motors. I've completed vibration analysis ISO level II training and exam. I read a lot about turbines, engines, compressors and other relevant equipment.

I'm even happy for a junior level role but the Australian graduate programs which I've applied for hire recent graduates only. I graduated in 2010. For intermediate level positions, I don't have the relevant experience.

Are there any skills or training I can undertake which can help in entering gas or power industries?
Thanks

 

[macmet]

Have you looked at the big turbine manufacturers? GE, Siemens, etc. If you're willing to live on the road for a few years you can probably find a job that will set you up nicely for the rest of your career. I imagine they also pay well.

I find a lot of the big dogs on the sites I am at these days are former gas turbine field reps.

 

[abdulbasitb]

Thanks for the info. It'll certainly be awesome if I can work with turbine OEMs but I'm struggling to get in.

I've personally never seen a "junior engineer" position advertised by OEMs. For entry-level candidates, such companies offer graduate programs. When I was recently graduated in Australia, I didn't have permanent residency status which was a requirement for almost all graduate programs I saw. Now that I've obtained permanent residency, I'm not a recent graduate anymore. Now I'm being rejected because of "too early" graduated.

I'm keen to learn. I paid for the VA training and certification exam from pocket ($1700) and have a habit of saving a part for professional development and reading lots of books. But I feel that unfortunately, such things as keenness and passion is not what recruitment teams actually see at all (although they say that they do).

Based on real-life experience, I wish to know about the stuff which HR will actually consider.