Swap to Maths or STEM or go back to all job sectors
Automotive engineers design, test and build cars, vans, lorries, buses and motorbikes.
You could work: evenings; on shifts
You might work in design, development or production on:
You could:
You could work in an office, at a research facility or at a manufacturing plant.
You can get into this job through:
You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in automotive engineering.
Employers will often accept related subjects, such as:
Many universities offer courses that combine a degree with a postgraduate master's engineering (MEng) qualification.
Choosing a course that includes an internship or industry placement can give you an advantage when looking for jobs. It can also help if you want to join a company's graduate training scheme.
You'll usually need:
You could apply for a place on a degree apprenticeship scheme, with a vehicle manufacturer, for example:
These take around 4 to 5 years to complete and combine on-the-job training with university study.
If you already have a degree in a science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM) subject, you may be able to do a Postgraduate Engineer Level 7 Apprenticeship with an automotive employer.
You'll usually need:
Keeping up to date with developments in vehicle technology and manufacture could help you with applications and interviews. Trends include:the shift to electric vehicles, and research into alternative fuels; digital design and manufacturing of parts by 3D printing; research into semi-autonomous and self-driving vehicles; connectivity within and between vehicles, and traffic management systems
You can find out more about careers in the automotive industry through:Society of Motor Industry Manufacturers; Your Future in Automotive; Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI)
With experience, you could move into:lead engineer roles; project team management; safety and legal compliance; crash investigation; consultancy work; motorsport