Using your degree: Engineering

What do Cambridge graduates do?

Cambridge engineers find their way into many careers. Key employment sectors are typically engineering consultancy, research and development, manufacturing, product design, defence and IT.

Looking at the most recent survey of graduates, the top three sectors that Cambridge graduates joined were manufacturing (circa 20% of those who responded), followed by consultancy (12%) and then IT (9%). Of course many engineers continue on to further study (circa 15% of the most recent survey) and this may be something that you want to consider.

Will employers want my degree?

It almost goes without saying that the knowledge and skills you will gain as a result of the broad-based Cambridge engineering degree will be hugely valuable to a wide variety of employers and highly sought after. However it is important to also remember the need to develop and demonstrate your transferable skills such as: communication, teamwork, project management and commercial awareness. In other words, you should be able to provide evidence of your 'softer' skills in addition to your technical expertise. This will make you a more well-rounded candidate when you come to apply for opportunities that interest you.

Take a look at the transferable skills that the Engineering Department has stated all undergraduates can expect to acquire during their university career. Want to know what role would suit you? When considering a career as an engineer, don’t just think about what area of engineering most interests you, but also what type of company is the best fit for you. You can use your industrial placement to develop a feel for this. More broadly, try looking for ideas for help with identifying your personal strengths and preferences.

Using my degree

Careers within engineering, IT and data science are popular with Engineering graduates. Engineering students are also sought after in areas such as consultancy and banking. You might also be keen to explore the world of entrepreneurship. Be aware that all of these sectors have a wide variety of roles on offer, so if you are interested in a certain area of work think about what you are good at and which roles might be a good fit for you personally. Network with alumni who studied engineering. You can see what they do, their career to date and contact them for further information. Use LinkedIn in a similar way.