Use the audio bar to play this job’s narration.
Overview
Mechanical engineering technicians design, install and repair industrial plant machinery and parts for engines, machines, aircraft, vehicle and ships’ structures, building services and other mechanical items.
Activities
- You will work as part of a team
- Be good at practical skills, like working with your hands with equipment such as piping and machinery used in manufacturing
- You will have a genuine interest in engineering and be able to ask questions if you get stuck
- Your work will be about solving problems, like when something doesn’t work
- You will need to be flexible, as your work will involve different locations
- You will need to be able to meet deadlines
- The work will mean you need to be good with detail
Organisations
Mechanical engineering technicians are employed in all types and sizes of organisations. As a mechanical engineering technician, you may work in offices or on construction sites with machinery, metal products and other plant equipment. Some work involves working at the start of projects, some for repair and others installing equipment as some examples.
Workplace
You could work indoors in offices and warehouses and outdoors such as on a construction site. They often have different places to work, so lots of variety. They wear protective clothing and sometimes personal protective equipment such as a hard hat, gloves to keep them safe from sharp objects and things that might fall on them.
Working Hours
Mechanical engineering technicians usually work around 37-40 hours a week. Sometimes this involves working on an evening or at a weekend.
Salary
Salary: £18,000 to £40,000 per year.
Predicted trends +1.0% increase leading to: 1,003 new jobs by 2027.
Qualifications
You must have a minimum grade 4 or above (Grade A-C) in Maths and English or equivalent. You would start your study at college with a BTEC Higher National Certificate in Engineering – with three pathways available: Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, General Engineering. Most employers look for exam qualifications at Level 6 NVQ.
You could also apply for an apprenticeship. If you have an EHCP you may be able to apply under the DfE exemption which allows the apprentice to use Entry Level 3 English and Maths qualifications. The apprentice would have to be competent enough to successfully achieve all other aspects of the apprenticeship requirements, become occupationally competent and achieve Entry Level 3 in English and Maths before the end of their apprenticeship.