Annual Salary
£26,000 to £52,000
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
Swap to Maths or STEM or go back to all job sectors
Swap to Maths or STEM or go back to all job sectors
Mechanical engineers design, build and install machinery used in industries like power, engineering, transport and manufacturing.
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings / weekends; on shifts
There will be
2.4% more Mechanical engineer jobs in 2027.
As a mechanical engineer, you could:
You could work in an office, in a factory or visit sites.
Your working environment may be outdoors in all weathers.
You can get into this job through:
You could do a higher national diploma or degree in:
The Engineering Council has information on accredited courses.
You should try to get some work experience during your course through:internships; summer or Easter vacation schemes; a placement year in industry; a science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) ambassador scheme
This will help you to make contacts and pick up work skills that will be useful when you start applying for graduate jobs.
Your university careers service can help you find suitable opportunities.
You'll usually need:
You could complete a college course before going on to do a higher level engineering qualification or an apprenticeship.
Courses include:
Before you finish your course, you could apply for a paid work placement through the Engineering Development Trust, which offers a chance to use your engineering skills and improve your career prospects.
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
You could do an apprenticeship to become a mechanical engineer. These include:
You'll usually need:
You could start as a mechanical engineering technician and do further training on the job to qualify as an engineer.
You can find out more about how to become a mechanical engineer from:the Institution of Mechanical Engineers; Tomorrow's Engineers
You'll be able to use your skills in industries, like:manufacturing; construction; energy and utilities; transport
With experience, you could move into senior project management roles, specialise in research and development or become an engineering consultant.
You could work towards chartered engineer status through the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. This would give you industry recognition of your skills and knowledge and open up more opportunities for career development.
Working in a university or teaching in further education are also options open to you.
Mechanical engineers help bring the design of satellites and space platforms into a reality by developing and testing satellite manoeuvrability systems, sensor and data processing integration as well as the launch systems.
Examples of post-16 courses you could study at a local school or college
Examples of post-18 courses you could study at a local provider
Apprenticeships you may be able to take with local employers
Search for apprenticeship vacancies
Employers in the South West
You'll need: