Job descriptions and industry overviews

What are the main engineering industries and what jobs can you do?

targetjobs editorial team

9 Apr 2024, 11:51

Discover the key sectors you can work in with your engineering degree: we explore the main industrial areas and the engineering disciplines that are hired into them.

Three pictures of different engineering industries: a blue robotic hand, a car engine and a bridge

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Royal Air Force

The world of engineering is vast and there is an almost endless array of different job titles, which can make it difficult to get your head around the number of opportunities open to you. However, the work can generally be divided into different industry sectors: you may, for example, hear talk of the ‘defence industry’ or the ‘automotive sector’ in the news. The exact range of engineering jobs in these sectors will vary, but they are typically aligned to different parts of the engineering process: research and development; design; production, building or other implementation; and maintenance. Here we explore the industries and job options open to you with your degree discipline.

Search for: engineering graduate jobs | engineering graduate schemes | engineering internships and placements.

What are the main engineering industries you can work in?

Read our A–Z of the main sectors and the typical engineering disciplines recruited into them (although you should always check individual employers’ requirements):

Aerospace

What it is: Helicopters, fighter jets, unmanned vehicles, commercial planes, satellites, space stations, rockets etc. Fuel efficiency, safety, reliability and environmental targets are all important considerations for the industry. Project lead times are long (up to 20 years) and it’s a collaborative effort with other engineers, suppliers, contractors and academic partners.

Engineers typically recruited: aerospace, chemical, electrical, electronics, environmental, manufacturing, materials, mechanical, software.

Automotive

What it is: All things motor vehicle related, from mainstream and premium sports car manufacturers, to bus and coach manufacturers, to vehicle parts manufacturers. Engineers must keep up with the latest technologies and meet customer expectations of vehicle performance, reliability, safety and durability. A small project could take up to six months, while designing an entire car might take three years.

Engineers typically recruited: aerospace, automotive, chemical, electrical, electronics, environmental, manufacturing, materials, mechanical, software.

Built environment

What it is:Houses, offices, schools, hospitals, sports stadiums, train stations, airports, roads, railways, bridges, tunnels, dams, nuclear power plants, wind farms etc. Engineers can work for a consultancy, contractor or specialist subcontractor. Travel within the UK and overseas for projects is common. Key priorities for the industry include the health and safety of the user and energy efficiency.

Engineers typically recruited: aerospace, automotive, chemical, civil/structural, electrical, electronics, environmental, manufacturing, materials, mechanical, software.

Find out more about construction careers

Chemicals

What it is: The backbone of industry, covering a huge range of products: food and additives, pharmaceuticals, fertilisers, plastics, batteries, paints, cosmetics, petrochemicals, metal refining and much more. Engineers will usually work in research and development (R&D), design, commissioning or operations. Challenges include moving away from fossil fuels, tight regulations and rising costs.

Engineers typically recruited: chemical, civil/structural, electrical, environmental, manufacturing, materials, mechanical, software.

Defence

What it is: Equipment, support and services for the armed forces and national security, covering land, sea and air as well as electronics and cyber security. Engineers often work at the cutting edge of technology. Most of the products are complex and it can take a number of years to develop and agree a contract. Cyber security is more fast paced with a high turnaround on projects.

Engineers typically recruited: aerospace, automotive, chemical, civil/structural, electrical, electronics, environmental, manufacturing, materials, mechanical, software.

Electronics

What it is: A semiconductor company designs the chips or integrated circuits; other companies design passive components such as resistors and capacitors or manufacture silicon; and consumer electronics companies take these components and design smartphones, medical scanners, TVs, washing machines, radios, unmanned vehicles etc. Engineers might work in design, manufacturing, packaging, testing or field application engineering (supporting the customer to use the product).

Engineers typically recruited: electrical, electronics, software.

Energy and power

What it is: Finding energy sources and generating power… oil, gas, wind, hydro, tidal, solar, biomass, nuclear etc. The industry is divided into three areas: generation, transmission and distribution, and metering and sales. Oil and gas generation is split into upstream (exploring and producing), downstream (refining, distributing and supplying products) and chemicals (production and supply of petrochemical products).

Engineers typically recruited: aerospace, automotive, chemical, civil/structural, electrical, electronics, environmental, manufacturing, materials, mechanical, software.

Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG)

What it is: The manufacturing of goods that fly off the production line onto shop shelves: food, cleaning products, cosmetics etc. Thousands of products can be produced every minute. Engineers might be looking at the chemical make-up or the packaging of a product, for example. Engineers will always be working in a team, often cross-functionally with scientists and marketing.

Engineers typically recruited: aerospace, automotive, chemical, electrical, electronics, environmental, manufacturing, materials, mechanical, software.

Marine

What it is: Ships and other vessels or equipment in four key areas: naval, commercial, leisure and offshore. With around 95% of the UK’s exports and 75% of its imports transported by sea, the industry is a significant contributor to the economy. The industry is subject to strict environmental, safety and nuclear legislation. Engineers work in a research lab and sometimes at sea.

Engineers typically recruited: chemical, civil/structural, electrical, electronics, environmental, manufacturing, materials, mechanical, software.

Materials and metals

What it is: Procuring, innovating, manufacturing and selling the raw materials that make up finished products: skyscrapers, cars, chairs, drinks cans etc. Competition in the industry is tough and engineers are needed to help companies differentiate their products from others. Key clients include the automotive, construction, consumer goods and energy industries.

Engineers typically recruited: aerospace, automotive, chemical, civil/structural, electrical, electronics, environmental, materials, mechanical, software.

Pharmaceuticals

What it is: Researching, developing, manufacturing and selling the products that make people feel better and live longer. There are three key markets: the core pharmaceuticals (medicines that treat conditions such as asthma and cancer), vaccines and consumer products (including some over-the-counter products such as toothpaste and mouthwash). Engineers usually work alongside chemists and pharmacists in R&D or in operations.

Engineers typically recruited: chemical, civil/structural, electrical, electronics, environmental, manufacturing, materials, mechanical, software.

Rail

What it is: Moving passengers and products from A to B. Train and freight operations companies run the trains, while network operators maintain everything that makes up the rail network: train stations, tracks, bridges, viaducts, tunnels, level crossings, signals etc. Safety and reliability are at the forefront of everything an engineer does, whether that’s day-to-day maintenance or developing infrastructure for the future.

Engineers typically recruited: civil/structural, electrical, electronics, environmental, materials, mechanical, software.

Telecoms

What it is: Making communication possible. There’s three sides to the industry: everything that the users see (telephones, broadband, mobile devices and apps), the infrastructure behind the scenes that make these possible and the infrastructure behind the cloud. Engineers might work for tech giants, start-ups, hardware manufacturers, service providers, software companies or IT consultancies.

Engineers typically recruited: electrical, electronics, manufacturing, software.

Utilities

What it is: The lifeblood of the UK’s economy, delivering energy, water, sewage treatment and telecoms to millions of homes, businesses, schools, hospitals etc. Many utilities companies have a monopoly in the area they operate in, so there are regulatory bodies in place to set frameworks: Ofgem (gas and electricity), Ofcom (telecoms) and Ofwat (water).

Engineers typically recruited: chemical, civil/structural, electrical, electronics, environmental, mechanical, software

What are the main engineering jobs open to graduates?

Browse our job descriptions to discover which type of job would best suit you – and discover which skills and degree discipline you will need:

You can search for graduate engineering vacancies on targetjobs.

In addition to technical roles, engineering graduates are also welcome to work in business, management and commercial roles within the above industry sectors.

What jobs can you do with your degree discipline?

Delve into your options with our specific guides for different degrees:

You can register with targetjobs to follow top engineering employers and to access a feed of advice, vacancies and events tailored to your interests.

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