How to get a graduate job in engineering design and construction

Your starting point for exploring graduate careers in the engineering design and construction industry. Who can work in EDC, why it’s a good time to join the industry and how to apply for a job.

chemical plant Process industries are of critical importance to the UK’s national economic well-being and graduates joining the engineering design and construction (EDC) industry will find no other career can quite match it for variety and the sheer diversity of its career opportunities.

Not only is the work dynamic and interesting, but it also makes a big difference to wealth creation and to the quality of our lives in the 21st century.

Clients rely on EDC companies for effective solutions to some of their most challenging problems and are constantly seeking new reserves and energy-efficient, environmentally sound processes. Employers operate on a global scale with international clients including those from the pharmaceuticals, chemicals and oil and gas sectors. Over 80 per cent of projects are overseas, providing exciting and demanding roles, where you will be required to use a wide range of skills.

Areas of work in engineering design and construction

Who can work in engineering design and construction?

Large numbers of chemical engineering graduates are recruited every year, but that doesn’t mean mechanical, electrical, control, instrumentation, environmental and civil engineering graduates aren’t in demand too.

Employers seek high-quality graduate engineers from a range of engineering disciplines as teams in this industry are multidisciplinary and require engineering expertise from all areas.

In addition to your engineering degree, you will also need to demonstrate to recruiters that you have the following general skills:

Communication skills – written and verbal
Problem-solving ability
Teamworking
Interpersonal skills
Commercial awareness
The ability to learn quickly
Flexibility and adaptability
Enthusiasm and motivation
Resilience.

What are the salaries like in EDC?

Salaries and benefits are in line with the related industries and opportunities for career progression are great because it’s such a dynamic industry. Professional engineering institutions frequently benchmark salaries, so visit the website of the one appropriate to your discipline to find out what you are currently worth. For example, the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) benchmarked graduate salaries for chemical engineers in the contracting industry at a median of £25,200 (2006). It’s likely that you will work overseas, at times for extended periods, and employers remunerate engineers appropriately.

What training and development do EDC employers provide?

This is an industry where you’ll apply your engineering skills from the outset, but EDC employers take further professional development very seriously indeed – after all, the skills and expertise of their engineers are what they sell to clients. Through learning on the job from experienced engineers and attending specialised courses and training, you’ll gain hands-on experience to build on your degree skills and work towards chartered status with the appropriate professional institution.

Professional training in the engineering contractor industry

How will my career progress?

Technical specialists are always in demand, but equally there is a demand for graduates to gain experience and move into broader commercial and managerial roles. In EDC, managers are often home-grown graduates who have worked their way up, showing passion for the industry and their organisation.

Career routes graduate engineers working in EDC

What is working life like in engineering design and construction?

Work in this sector is incredibly varied because of its project-based nature. Throughout your career will work in a range of teams, on a range of project in a range of locations. Your first couple of years will be spent gaining experience working in different areas of engineering design and construction so that you get a feel for how a project comes together and how your organisation works. The work can be intense and you need to be resilient to working in demanding environments (process plants, refineries, oil platforms, etc tend to be built in less hospitable locations). You will also work with site engineers from a range of nationalities.

Graduate engineers from different disciplines talk about the work they do in the engineering design and construction

As a graduate engineer, will I have opportunity to travel?

The EDC industry undertakes projects on all continents and in many of the seas and oceans around the world. Over 80 per cent of projects are overseas in interesting and unique locations. You could work out back in Australia, travel to Texas, go off the beaten track in the deserts of the Middle East, or experience the rapid growth taking place in China and the Far East. Never has the industry been more global or presented opportunities for graduate engineers to travel so early in their careers.

How do I apply for jobs in EDC?

Each employer will have their own process. Some request a CV and covering letter, while others have online application systems. If your application is successful you will most likely be invited to an interview day.

Is now a good time to join the industry?

Yes… oil prices are still relatively high and investment in new plant, production facilities, refineries and infrastructure is essential to meet global demand. Raised awareness of environmental considerations and sustainability are driving technology advances, so you'll join an industry that is looking ahead to the future.