Mechanical engineering: Career areas

A 2012 HESA survey of 2011 graduates indicates that six months after graduation, just over 65% of mechanical engineering graduates were in employment in the UK or overseas. Of these, around 66% secured professional engineering roles, while 6.2% were working in the commercial, industrial and public sectors.

Many employers in the engineering sector offer graduate training schemes, which usually support progression to chartered engineer status with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) .

The engineering sector is currently experiencing a skills shortage and opportunities are readily available for new graduates. Generally speaking, as a mechanical engineer, you will also have plenty of opportunities to work abroad if you wish.

Where are the jobs?

Mechanical engineering is widely reputed to be one of the most diverse engineering disciplines and deals with the design, development, installation, operation and maintenance of anything that has moving parts.

Because of its wide subject area, you will find mechanical engineering opportunities in a range of sectors, including manufacturing, construction, aerospace, automotive, energy, railway, sport and medicine.

You will also have the skills required for careers in business and management, IT, finance and law.

For an insight into employment areas open to mechanical engineers, see:

• engineering and manufacturing - this is a vast and diverse sector. Engineering includes areas such as transport, rail, energy and telecommunications. Typical employers in manufacturing include automotive and aircraft manufacturers, pharmaceuticals, chemicals and consumer goods;
• energy and utilities - you may be interested in exploration, drilling, construction, diving supplies, energy transportation, petrol retailers, or refineries.

For further information on possibilities in other employment areas, see job sectors. 

Statistics are collected every year to show what HE students do immediately after graduation. These can be a useful guide but, in reality, because the data is collected within six months of graduation, many graduates are travelling, waiting to start a course, paying off debts, getting work experience or still deciding what they want to do. For further information about some of the areas of employment commonly entered by graduates of any degree discipline, check out What Do Graduates Do?  and your degree...what next?