Career fit
Sign in to see how your skills and qualifications match this career.
Entry level
£26k – £30k
Mid-career (typical)
£26k – £65k
Senior / lead
£55k – £75k+ (Chartered / Principal)
What you'll do
A day in the life
- Model components in CAD software
- Run simulations and stress tests
- Collaborate with manufacturing teams
- Review prototypes and iterate
- Document designs and specifications
The path
Your career roadmap
Every milestone from school to senior. Track progress as you complete each stage.
- 12 yrs
GCSEs
educationStrong grades in Maths, Physics and Design.
- 22 yrs
A-Levels
educationMaths, Physics and ideally Further Maths.
- 33–4 yrs
Mechanical Engineering Degree
qualificationBEng or MEng accredited by IMechE.
- 41 yr
Year in Industry
experiencePlacement with a major engineering firm.
- 52 yrs
Graduate Engineer
roleStructured graduate scheme.
- 63 yrs
Design Engineer
roleOwn designs on real products.
- 74+ yrs
Chartered Engineer
certificationAchieve CEng status via IMechE.
- 88+ yrs
Principal / Lead Engineer
roleLead complex projects and teams.
What you need
Skills you'll build
CAD (SolidWorks)ThermodynamicsMaterials scienceProblem solvingProject management
Qualifications
- GCSEs (Maths, Physics)
- A-Levels (Maths, Physics)
- Mechanical Engineering Degree (BEng/MEng)
Certifications
- IMechE Membership
- Chartered Engineer (CEng)
Related