22M Engineering Graduate - Need Life Advice

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  Hybroid on 25/05/2020 - 00:42

  +6

  I'm in Engineering with a top tier international consultancy and lucky enough to be transferred here from abroad few years ago due to the lack of local market skills and experience.

  I would recommend a Masters if your financial situation allows so it sets you apart from other applicants. It's almost a necessity nowadays when filtering applicants pre-interview stage.

  I would suggest reduce focus on applying to Melbourne based roles and branch out to Sydney and Perth where there is a higher demand currently. Melbourne and Brisbane are much smaller markets. Adelaide & NZ may also be choices but far fewer international companies set up there.

  As you do not have experience yet, I would strongly recommend focusing on applying to graduate programmes that all major companies offer rather than a grad Civil Engineering job straight away. The programmes are well worth it to develop your skills on rotations and then you get selected to progress to next role with a more fixed contract and set out plan focusing on achieving your Chartership within 5 years.

  Bear in mind with the current global sitation, very few if any companies are currently recruiting grads unfortunately. It's a time and cost-sink that everyone can do without for now. It may actually be the ideal time to focus on a Masters degree rather than trying fruitlessly to get an interview. In fact, you can absolutely still do both and some companies will take you on part-time and even sponsor your MSc.

  Alternatively, you may consider joining a contractor on-site for a number of years to gain some project experience that way before you move into an office based design & consultancy firm.

  In terms of the career path itself, you won't get rich with Engineering but you'll be comfortable for life with prospects to move around globally and there's a sense of satisfaction delivering projects and seeing them get built and better the life of others. We're not healing sick people but still have an important part to play in society's infrastructure.

  Feel free to fire away any other queries and will be happy to help. As always, get a few opinions from others and make your informed decisions.

  • 

    Vampyr on 25/05/2020 - 09:58

    +6

    I don't recommend doing a masters without any industry experience.

    • 

      MechEng on 25/05/2020 - 10:22

      +3

      I second this. I happen to teach a master's course, and I find that students with little / no work experience do not make the most of the masters, and at the end they are not in any better position to find jobs. Masters is just an add on at entry level jobs, most of the time experience is more important.
      I would focus on getting a cert in project management, or even just do online PM courses and go talk to builders to get that experience in PM of Civil Engineering projects.
      Good Luck

      • 

        Hybroid on 25/05/2020 - 15:10

        That's quite interesting. Most MSc students in the UK are straight BSc or BEng graduates that opt to do another year of study to get a Masters degree. Certainly what I did and everyone around me were all in the same boat.

        Most Engineering with Honours courses are now straight 4-year MEng ones too. You don't technically get a Bachelors degree but an MEng degree is regarded higher than BEng + MSc.

        PMP/PMQ certificates don't hold the same weight anymore especially since anyone can get one with a 5-day course now. If you go through the APM ChPP Chartership route then certainly worthwhile but the regular PMP isn't really, especially for anyone already at Senior level.

    • 

      [Deactivated] on 25/05/2020 - 11:17

      Would you know any tips or tricks into getting some industry experience?

      I've tried 1 or 2 career fairs, cold messaging on linkedin, applying the usual way on seek/gradjob, my university's careerhub, researching companies that have large projects ahead and then emailing them.

      • 

        MechEng on 25/05/2020 - 14:08

        The number one trick is be persistent.
        You'll get a lot of "NO"s on the way.
        Given the current climate I would say, go for small to middle size companies, as it is easier to get access to the decision maker than large companies.
        First impression count.
        Be ready to work for little compensation for a while. While I don't like that it seems to be how it works.
        Good luck

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  Boioioioi on 25/05/2020 - 09:29

  +1

  I think keep trying, but maybe reevaluate your application process? Have you got any friends who are really good at this sort of thing who could help you out?

  At least you've got some work experience, there's graduates out there with none at all. Let alone anything in their field.

  Some of my friends had to apply for a little while, but eventually they did get civil engineering grad jobs. One of them had to move out a bit rural though (cooktown). Try rural councils.

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  Caped Baldy on 25/05/2020 - 10:01

  +1

  Wow, doing well if you've got a home paid off. I didn't get a summer undergrad position until end of fourth year which rolled into the grad position.
  I've known of some people that took years to get in and are now doing very well for themselves.

  I would keep applying and perhaps start at smaller companies and jump around.

  • 

    [Deactivated] on 25/05/2020 - 11:18

    +1

    Not my home, just helped mum pay a bit. Thanks for the words of encouragement, I will keep at it.

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  TheBilly on 25/05/2020 - 10:42

  +1

  Have you considered taking this opportunity to start a business in an area you are passionate about? no debt and reasonable income is the perfect breading ground for taking a risk

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  Dancasper on 25/05/2020 - 10:50

  +1

  OP, you sound like a hard worker or someone who can perservere through tough times so I hope you keep it up as the payoff is worth it.

  In this stage in life you simply need a foot in the door somewhere to get on the ladder. You didnt provide much detail about your applications but I would suggest your job search be broad and open minded. The best thing about a Civil degree is it can be applicable in a lot of areas (geotech, mining, traffic, structural, stormwater,flooding, etc) and you could work in private, government, finance and insurance industries. It is not impossible to slide once you have some experience. In my last 25 years I've gone from mining, consultancy work (geotech/ structural) to Traffic, Dev Eng, Stormwater & Flooding in local Gov.

  Unfortunately I will be contrary to the poster above (sorry Hybroid) but a Masters could be bumsteer by forcing you to specialise in an area which then restricts your opportunities. IMO, a Masters would be a waste of time (and money) at this stage since that would only take you from being an inexperienced engineer to an inexperienced engineer with a Masters degree. The Australian engineering market (in general) does not have a high regard for qualifications as they deserve, unfortunately unlike in other countries. The bulk of practising consultant engineers are simply doing the bare minimum work to get the job done, not writing a thesis. Outside the top tier organisations, you would be surprised of how many "engineers" old nothing more than a diploma. Experience and communication skills are generally prioritised above acedemic qualifications.

  If you can speak clearly and confidently (not cocky) then I would suggest you also try going through recruitment consultancies as recruiters are like real estate agents (about as reputable!) and love a chat…your communication skills would place you above the abundant number of overseas engineers looking for work. If you are open minded about the type of work they can throw some opportunity your way.

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    [Deactivated] on 25/05/2020 - 11:13

    Yeah I have been applying for mostly internships and graduate positions in and around mainly Melbourne and Perth, Queensland. That's the thing with civil, I feel like its oversaturated and I don't think I am personally knowledgeable enough in any area to specialise as my course was structured you do like 2 units of everything, structural, transport etc.

    That was my worry about a masters, I would have to predict which one would be relevant when my course ends and I'm not exactly confident it would make me more employable.

    • 

      Caped Baldy on 25/05/2020 - 11:47

      Don't like Sydney? It is a bit pricey but not too different from Melbourne. There are a bit more projects going here too.

      Also, I would suggest tapping into your social networks, older friends and family is a pretty easy route into jobs.

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      Icecold5000 on 25/05/2020 - 12:05

      See if you can get a foot into telco. They always seem to be doing something like site acq, upgrades etc. pretty boring though.