Universities with good industrial links engineering

[Mountain9]

DC has started looking at universities for engineering; currently in year 12.

We are wondering what are the universities with good industrial links and employability? Also nice, happy, safe atmosphere?

@Mountain9 Sheffield as a city can also be misunderstood. It can feel
a bit a 'spread out' and has a lot of post war architecture because it was so badly bombed. The lack of retail in the city centre has received a lot of criticism over the years due to the construction of Meadowhall shopping centre. However this is now true of many places due to the inexorable rise of online shopping. However it has two world class theatres, several cinemas and loads of interesting bars and eateries, particularly in the Kelham Island area. Abbeydale Road is also one to watch. It also has loads of lovely neighbourhoods with their own shops and cafes. It's also adjacent to the incredible Peak District National Park which is catnip for climbers, walkers, cyclists etc. It also has an amazing number of parks and green spaces. It's a safe friendly city - I love it and wouldn't live anywhere else!

Maybe is different for each degree?

And for each student on it! Some thrive in big cities, others don't. Some can manage a brutal workload and still manage to have a social life.

DS and his year group didn’t have problems get a job. Engineers in different fields seem to be in short supply in many countries which is why DS and many of his friends accepted jobs across the world. The world is their oyster!

Very true

Thanks. We will probably get the train

DD did mechanical engineering and had a good social life - but the workload was very high, with both Xmas holidays and Easter holidays spent revising and doing project work/assignments.

Yes, mine made a rather clear distinction that 'vacations' were not all 'holiday'!

While they should have (make!) time for adequate R&R, imo engineering is one of the true full time degrees and trying to do paid employment during one is liable to be spreading themselves too thin. The exception of course being proper relevant paid internships in the summer vacs. Which gets us back to the OPs original question.

This is the organisation I mentioned that supports students on certain IET accredited electronic/electrical engineering courses at Bristol, Nottingham and Newcastle: https://www.e3academy.org/

In my opinion, try and get relevant vacation work. Paid work in term time is not a great idea. Getting experience is valuable. As is selling yourself to the employer! Make sure they can get you chartered though. Many engineers are very employable so most really don’t have to worry.

My dc did engineering and employment is certainly not a problem in this field!

Can't see it mentioned yet but Loughborough is another excellent university to consider for engineering. They also have stellar track record for industrial placements, internships and industry links.

Has your dc applied now?

I haven't read the whole thread but Imperial graduates seem to be very employable. Lots of engineering and tech companies seem to sponsor various events/competitions.

I’d vote Warwick. Lovely campus uni with friendly safe atmosphere. Good transport links. Great for engineering with excellent links with industry.

The other positive around Warwick is that there is lots of student accomodation and good facilities .

Any help
https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/

@sunflowerpinks Imperial is so hard to get into. Many other unis really do produce great grads who are very employable. It’s not just the preserve of the top few in the league tables!

Absolutely agree @TizerorFizz.
The obsession with only getting into a top 10 university is irrelevant for most courses, especially engineering. So many universities outside of London/the top 10 have industry links.

@RampantIvy We have so many unis that have worked with employers for decades. They also have managed to design courses that employers value. So in engineering, there’s not so much difference between unis as many people think.

@TizerorFizz

I must admit that I am biased towards Sheffiled, partly because DH and another family member did engineering degrees there (DH has also freelanced for the university as a consultant at the AMRC), and partly because I regularly drive past the AMRC and can see just how much opportunity for engineering graduates there is available with all the different companies on the site.

I appreciate that there may be many other Universities with equally good job prospects. I am simply sharing my own experience of having a child currently studying at Imperial.

Another important aspect is which area of technology/engineering you want to work in? And whether you might want your work abroad (where the pay is often much higher for stem jobs)? In that case a well known and globally well regarded University may well help?

I suspect a list of unis which, if they offer proper engineering degrees, dont have good industrial links and job prospects might be shorter than the ones that do!

Another vote for Warwick. DS recently did his engineering degree and masters there. Now working for an engineering company in the Netherlands in his specialty area.

@sunflowerpinks Our Chartered Engineer status is recognised globally. First degree, as long as it’s accredited, really won’t matter if you want to work abroad. Many uk consultancies are globally active. Plus Imperial has lots of overseas students who go home to work. It doesn’t mean British students with a degree from Imperial can get a job abroad over a Sheffield educated one. Academically there won’t be much difference. Therefore getting chartered is the qualification to
open doors.

@RampantIvy DH is Sheffield too. He’s not linked to them personally but his former company has an office there. Sheffield is as good as anywhere for engineering.