Engineering : Opportunities abroad

What are my chances of getting a job overseas?

Engineering is a global industry and profession. Many graduate recruiters offer opportunities to work overseas, either for a short time or more permanently.

Getting the offer of work abroad depends on:

• the industry you work in: oil, engineering consultancy, energy and defence have more overseas opportunities;
• whether your company trades globally;
• your level of experience.

Some large graduate recruiters offering overseas opportunities: BG Group, BP, Faber Maunsell, Jacobs, Mott MacDonald, MWH, M.W.Kellogg Limited, Procter and Gamble and Rolls-Royce.

Will my qualifications be recognised?

The professional status of chartered engineer affords international respect. The Eurlng qualification from the European Federation of National Engineering Associations (FEANI) is accepted in most European countries.

There is worldwide recognition of registrants and holders of Engineering Council UK (ECUK) accredited academic qualifications.

Many countries outside of Europe have signed up to the Washington, Sydney and Dublin Accords. This means that academic qualifications accredited by the Engineering Council at chartered, incorporated and engineering technician grade are accepted as meeting those countries' academic requirements.

To become professionally qualified with the Engineering Council as CEng, IEng, EngTech or ICTTech you must be a member of a licensed professional engineering institution, who will act as the awarding body for your registration. Currently there are 35 of these and they are listed on the  Engineering Council website.

Where are the opportunities?

The Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) produces information on the international work of its members citing which are active in different countries. Project work could take you anywhere; the Hong Kong metro, airport terminals in Toronto and Tel Aviv, an oil platform in the Philippines and the Channel tunnel are among their completed projects.

Gaining work abroad becomes easier once you have gained two or more years of industrial experience. It is unusual, but not impossible, for a graduate with a first degree to immediately gain employment in the USA.