Mechanical Engineering: U.K. vs. Australia

Honours are good... the real question is, do you plan to stay in Australia for the duration? Sometimes its nice to be able to go anywhere, and carry the credentials you see fit.

Experience is most likely viewed higher than honours in Downunder.

If you get in with the right company they will pay for you to do honours and give you experience at the same time while you earn some good coin.

While you will be able to find work here with just your degree, the extra year will improve your chances of getting the better quality jobs in the area of your choice. It also allows you to move directly to a PhD, without the two year Masters first, should you want to devote time to research work (this is handy if your Job has a big research element anyway).

Also Honours Graduates are better paid in general, particularly in Public serice employment

Hello and welcome.

It sounds like you have been seriously misled. The "Bachelors Degree" in Australia is the full four year degree. I do not know of ANY university engineers who completed at three years.

You might consider doing your honours year over here though (if you can find a sponsor) with RPL for your study in Abberdeen and that way you'll have a worldwide recognised degree.

Now is the right time to be asking potential sponsors, as the academic year starts in January/February and new enrolments after mid December would probably be very difficult to arrange.

My experience is that most universities in Australia wil RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) without problem especially if you are just transferring without interruption to your study years. If you complete the degree here, that would also save you the frustration of a "competancy" test when you arrive to have your international degree readily accepted here.

What engineering are you studying? What honours project were you considering?

In my opinion...I wouldn't bother. Most (degree) engineers down under end up in a managerial role within the 1st 5 years in the workforce. You then need to ask yourself, would i better spend the year doing something that no-one is going to look at or go and work and start a part time management course.

The other issue here is that (unless you want a research type role) you might get yourself over-qualified and find it harder to get that 1st job.

But i do agree with the previous post...we generally do a 4 year course plus 13 weeks 'In the field' experience before we can graduate.

In my opinion, you should stick around and do your honours year in either Scotland or Aussie while you're still in the studying frame of mind. There's plenty of time to earn money, especially in Western Aussie. If you want to steer clear of the managerial roles you should definitely stick around. Over here in New Zealand we do the four year degree also and I haven't heard of anyone only doing three years (then everyone heads overseas to get a reasonable salary).

dear friend,

first complete your study, there is many option for you after your completion of degree, in mechanical engg. u can go in design industries where u can find a real challenge in work. i have completed my degree in power(mechanical), till now i am working in GAS TURBINE, which is real challenge.

so know on concentrate on ur degree course.

regarding honours. no body want any type of hon. you will have to work in any conditions , where you will be placed in any company.

The advice is probably sound (except as already stated, Eng. degrees are 4 year duration) since most employers wont care. However if you're really interested in the subject and you want to know more, then now is the best time.

Come to Switzerland first, because here you get the best paymant conditions. With the money you earn here you could enjoy your life where ever you want.

Regards

Hi MACA,

If studying is a financial hardship for you then you can do your honours in OZ once you get there nd see the need for it. The guy you spoke to from Australia was close to 100% right.

Places like Sydney and Melbourne have enough places where you can do your honours anytime you like.

If you wanna pursue your carrier on a serious level, like R&D, then I do not even understand why you wanna go to AU unless you wanna become beach-bum.

But you do have to ask yourself whether you want to stay and work in oz for your whole career?

Because if you are not sure about that it would better to get your honours as if something unexpected happens then you will have that always with you. Tho after you get some experience it doesnt really matter at all!

What if his new employer will not like his honours because they want him to specialise in a definate area than he got his honours in?

If it is financial burden on him to do his honours, and there's no definate area he knows gonna end up in, then he can postpone it until he knows his destiny.

As long as it cost him to get his honours it is well worth to reconsider, to do it or not? These days the financial turmoil does not guarantee any secure job just because he has honours, least of all in Australia.

Of course, it's his choice and not ours.

PAL! Education is YOUR ASSET!

Education is constant, every day. The better you do in your institution the better you will adapt to any employer.

If all engineers thought like me we would have less bridges collapsed............

Get your honours, if you are capable. Prove it to yourself first!

Firstly thanks for all the replys. One of the main reasons (not the only one though) for me wanting to move to Australia is because my girlfriend is an Aussie and she wants to move home. She's waiting for me to finish studying so we can go.

Another reason is that the way of life out there looks so nice, after spending my whole life in Sunny Scotland I can't wait to go to a nicer climate.

I'm studying Mechanical Engineering at Robert Gordon Uni in Aberdeen and the focus is very much on the oil and gas industry for the graduates. This seems to imply I will move to Perth which the girlfriend is happy with.

Also while I'm not old by any means, I am a mature student and once we get out to Oz we'll be looking to start a family in the next few years. This means I don't want a job doing 100 hours a week and stuff like that. I want some family time. If this means less pay then that's the way it will be but I'm looking for a job which I'm happy doing and which gives me time to raise a family too.

My grades last year meant I got awarded a place on the accelerated masters course. In effect you do extra study and extra work experience and hopefully get an MEng in the same time it usually takes to get a BEng. These places are only awarded to the best students so it's not a case of me not having the ability it's more a question of which path might lead to the type of future I'm looking for.

I know that its impossible for one person to answer all my questions about my future but thanks again for your comment. I look forward to hearing from any engineers working in Oz as any info is much appreciated.

Thanks again

Hi MACA

It sounds like you are doing a 4 year degree in 3. That has got to impress a prospective employer.

An honours degree is impressive but it is more impressive to an employer if it relates to the job they want done.

If I were considering living and working in Perth, Western Australia rather than flying in and out of mine sites or oil rigs within a 3000 mile radius then I would be looking to mining machinery development, installation, maintenance and overhaul.

Try this company: www.batemanengineering.com.au

As for the honours: www.wasm.curtin.edu.au

Perth in WA is like Scotland except that where your summer on a Thursday Perth has winter for a week.

If I can help with more info or suggestions as to potential employers shoot me an email to my mail box.

BAB

BEng Degree courses are 4 years in Oz, or if part-time study 6 years (either part time pattern-12 hours face-to-face on top of your normal working week, or sandwich pattern-6 months full time then 6 months work, both over 6 years)

But apart from all that, you must check with the Institution of Enginers, Australia (or IE UK) what will be minimum requirement for membership, before you leave the haggis behind. This is the usual qualifying criteria by most reputable employers. In Aust oil & gas you might find it hard (and distant) to complete any qualifying criteria and miss out completely.