My OpenLearn Profile
- Personalise your OpenLearn profile
- Save your favourite content
- Get recognition for your learning
- Subjects
- Science, Maths & Technology
- All content
- Personal and career development in engineering
This page was published over five years ago. Please be aware that due to the passage of time, the information provided on this page may be out of date or otherwise inaccurate, and any views or opinions expressed may no longer be relevant. Some technical elements such as audio-visual and interactive media may no longer work. For more detail, see our Archive and Deletion Policy.
What's it like working as an engineer, and what career opportunities are available? On this album, 6 practicing engineers talk about the work they do and the career path they have followed. This material forms part of The Open University course T191 Personal and career development in engineering.
By: The OpenLearn team (The Open University,)
- Duration 1 hour
- Updated Friday 7th August 2009
- Posted under Engineering & Technology
Track 1: Personal and career development in engineering
A short introduction to this album.
© The Open University 2009
- Read a transcript of this track - you'll need a PDF viewer, such as Adobe's free Adobe Reader
- Download this track from iTunes U - you'll need Apple's free iTunes software
- See details of the Open University course this album comes from
- Discover more from The Open University and iTunesU at open.edu/itunes
Tracks in this podcast:
Track | Title | Description |
---|---|---|
1 | Personal and career development in engineering | A short introduction to this album. Play now Personal and career development in engineering |
2 | The Work and Background of a Female Automotive Engineer | Penny Freeman, a professional automotive engineer, talks about her career in car and component manufacturing in the UK. Play now The Work and Background of a Female Automotive Engineer |
3 | Life as a Digital Communications Engineer | Steve Baker, an electronics engineer, talks about his career in electronic hardware and software engineering. Play now Life as a Digital Communications Engineer |
4 | Implementing New Technology - a Consultant's Perspective | Moira Fowler talks about her role as a consultant, helping companies to implement cutting edge surface-mount technology for miniaturising circuit boards. Play now Implementing New Technology - a Consultant's Perspective |
5 | An Engineer's role in Disaster Relief | Eddie James talks about his work as an engineer rebuilding essential infrastructure in areas affected by disaster. Play now An Engineer's role in Disaster Relief |
6 | Professional Engineering Institutions | Peter Hills, past president of the Institute of Design Engineers, talks about the application process for professional engineering bodies in the UK, their role in quality assurance and the benefits of membership. Play now Professional Engineering Institutions |
7 | Employing and Managing Engineers | Rod Taylor, MD of an electronic engineering business, talks about the value of ongoing professional development and the skills and competences required to succeed. Play now Employing and Managing Engineers |
About the author
Author
Publication details
-
Originally published: Friday, 7th August 2009
Copyright information
- Body text - Content : Copyright The Open University
- Audio/Video tracks: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 The Open University 2009
- Image 'Personal and career development in engineering' - Copyright: The Open University 2009
- Image 'Personal development planning for engineering' - Copyright free: iStock
- Image 'Jan Davis and Mae Jemison' - Copyright free: NASA
- Image 'A five dollar bill burns in what looks like a pool of alcohol' - Mike Poresky under CC-BY licence under Creative-Commons license
- Image 'The Open University Berrill Building' - Copyright: The Open University/Karen Parker
- Image 'Helmet' - Copyright: Dreamstime
- Image 'Mountains at sunrise' - Copyright free: 12019
- Image 'Construction Engineer Nick Butler - Five Billion Pound Super Sewer' - Copyright: Tom Swingler (Raw TV Ltd)
- Image 'An engineer on site' - Copyright: Ndoeljindoel | Dreamstime.com
Tags, Ratings and Social Bookmarking
Related content
Feeds
If you enjoyed this, why not follow a feed to find out when we have new things like it? Choose an RSS feed from the list below. (Don't know what to do with RSS feeds?)
Remember, you can also make your own, personal feed by combining tags from around OpenLearn.
- Latest OpenLearn pages
- Latest pages by The OpenLearn team
- Latest pages tagged - Career
- Latest pages tagged - development
- Latest pages tagged - engineering
- Latest pages tagged - personal
- Latest pages tagged - Career
- Latest pages tagged - development
- Latest pages tagged - engineering
- Latest pages tagged - forms
- Latest pages tagged - IT
- Latest pages tagged - IT
- Latest comments on this page
Share this audio
Related content
Other content you may like

Science, Maths & Technology
Personal development planning for engineering
This free course, Personal development planning for engineering, has been written in keeping with the requirements of UK-SPEC and the professional engineering institutions (e.g. ImechE, IET etc). It will provide you with a range of relevant information and guidance in critically assessing and scrutinising your career development aspirations.

Science, Maths & Technology
What does an engineer look like?
In 2015, some men still struggle with the idea that engineering might not be an exclusively male endeavour. No, they really do.

MSc in Finance
This qualification is designed to support professional development and practice in a wide range of roles in finance ? whether you are developing in your career or aspiring to enter the sector. It provides a thorough grounding in areas such as corporate finance, financial decision-making, financial reporting and governance. It develops competencies in applying statistical and econometric techniques, and equips you with knowledge of the fundamentals of Islamic finance and behavioural finance. You can choose to specialise either in derivatives and financial risk management, or in investment and portfolio management, and you will develop research skills and techniques relevant to higher academic qualifications by completing a dissertation on a finance topic of your choice that is relevant to your interests or chosen career development.

Science, Maths & Technology
Postgraduate Diploma in Computing
This flexible diploma enables computing practitioners to pursue their career goals by gaining advanced knowledge, skills and techniques; and to develop a professional approach to the study and application of computing. A wide choice of modules means you can tailor your qualification to the varied requirements of industry and your own career needs, with the option to focus on information security, on networking, or on software engineering in more depth.

Top-up Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
Top up your existing qualification ? the OU Foundation Degree in Engineering, Diploma of Higher Education in Engineering, or an equivalent qualification from somewhere else ? to honours degree level. You'll be able to tailor your studies to suit your background and previous study. You'll develop your knowledge and skills to a higher level and open up further career or educational opportunities. Your study choices include structural integrity, micro and nano technology, design, electronics, environmental management, renewable energy, and mathematics. You'll also complete an individual engineering project.

Money & Business
Foundation Degree in Combined Professional Studies
This flexible qualification enables you to develop lifelong learning skills that will open doors to further study and career development. You can choose from a wide variety of fascinating modules in any subjects you like, depending on your interests and career aspirations ? including work-related modules to help you in your current role and enhance your future employability.

Foundation Degree in Engineering
If you're working in engineering-related employment at a technical level and would like to boost your career, this qualification can combine academic skills with the needs of your workplace. This course will build on your existing skills and experience to support your professional development plans. It applies the study of engineering fundamentals like design, energy, electronics, manufacturing, materials, mechanics and structural analysis, to the solution of real-life problems. It will also develop your mathematical skills , which are key to successfully studying engineering.

Diploma of Higher Education in Engineering
If you're working in engineering-related employment at a technical level and would like to boost your career, this qualification can combine academic skills with the needs of your workplace. This course will build on your existing skills and experience to support your professional development plans. It applies the study of engineering fundamentals like design, energy, electronics, manufacturing, materials, mechanics and structural analysis, to the solution of real-life problems. It will also develop your mathematical skills, which are key to successfully studying engineering.

Money & Business
Diploma of Higher Education in Combined Professional Studies
This flexible qualification enables you to develop lifelong learning skills that will open doors to further study and career development. You can choose from a wide variety of fascinating modules in any subjects you like, depending on your interests and career aspirations ? including work-related modules to help you in your current role and enhance your future employability.
Publication details
-
Originally published: Friday, 7th August 2009
Copyright information
- Body text - Content: Copyright The Open University
- Audio/Video tracks: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 The Open University 2009
- Image 'Personal and career development in engineering' - Copyright: The Open University 2009
- Image 'Personal development planning for engineering' - Copyright free: iStock
- Image 'Jan Davis and Mae Jemison' - Copyright free: NASA
- Image 'A five dollar bill burns in what looks like a pool of alcohol' - Mike Poresky under CC-BY licence under Creative-Commons license
- Image 'The Open University Berrill Building' - Copyright: The Open University/Karen Parker
- Image 'Helmet' - Copyright: Dreamstime
- Image 'Mountains at sunrise' - Copyright free: 12019
- Image 'Construction Engineer Nick Butler - Five Billion Pound Super Sewer' - Copyright: Tom Swingler (Raw TV Ltd)
- Image 'An engineer on site' - Copyright: Ndoeljindoel | Dreamstime.com
Other content you may like

Science, Maths & Technology
Personal development planning for engineering
This free course, Personal development planning for engineering, has been written in keeping with the requirements of UK-SPEC and the professional engineering institutions (e.g. ImechE, IET etc). It will provide you with a range of relevant information and guidance in critically assessing and scrutinising your career development aspirations.

Science, Maths & Technology
What does an engineer look like?
In 2015, some men still struggle with the idea that engineering might not be an exclusively male endeavour. No, they really do.

MSc in Finance
This qualification is designed to support professional development and practice in a wide range of roles in finance ? whether you are developing in your career or aspiring to enter the sector. It provides a thorough grounding in areas such as corporate finance, financial decision-making, financial reporting and governance. It develops competencies in applying statistical and econometric techniques, and equips you with knowledge of the fundamentals of Islamic finance and behavioural finance. You can choose to specialise either in derivatives and financial risk management, or in investment and portfolio management, and you will develop research skills and techniques relevant to higher academic qualifications by completing a dissertation on a finance topic of your choice that is relevant to your interests or chosen career development.

Science, Maths & Technology
Postgraduate Diploma in Computing
This flexible diploma enables computing practitioners to pursue their career goals by gaining advanced knowledge, skills and techniques; and to develop a professional approach to the study and application of computing. A wide choice of modules means you can tailor your qualification to the varied requirements of industry and your own career needs, with the option to focus on information security, on networking, or on software engineering in more depth.

Top-up Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
Top up your existing qualification ? the OU Foundation Degree in Engineering, Diploma of Higher Education in Engineering, or an equivalent qualification from somewhere else ? to honours degree level. You'll be able to tailor your studies to suit your background and previous study. You'll develop your knowledge and skills to a higher level and open up further career or educational opportunities. Your study choices include structural integrity, micro and nano technology, design, electronics, environmental management, renewable energy, and mathematics. You'll also complete an individual engineering project.

Money & Business
Foundation Degree in Combined Professional Studies
This flexible qualification enables you to develop lifelong learning skills that will open doors to further study and career development. You can choose from a wide variety of fascinating modules in any subjects you like, depending on your interests and career aspirations ? including work-related modules to help you in your current role and enhance your future employability.

Foundation Degree in Engineering
If you're working in engineering-related employment at a technical level and would like to boost your career, this qualification can combine academic skills with the needs of your workplace. This course will build on your existing skills and experience to support your professional development plans. It applies the study of engineering fundamentals like design, energy, electronics, manufacturing, materials, mechanics and structural analysis, to the solution of real-life problems. It will also develop your mathematical skills , which are key to successfully studying engineering.

Diploma of Higher Education in Engineering
If you're working in engineering-related employment at a technical level and would like to boost your career, this qualification can combine academic skills with the needs of your workplace. This course will build on your existing skills and experience to support your professional development plans. It applies the study of engineering fundamentals like design, energy, electronics, manufacturing, materials, mechanics and structural analysis, to the solution of real-life problems. It will also develop your mathematical skills, which are key to successfully studying engineering.

Money & Business
Diploma of Higher Education in Combined Professional Studies
This flexible qualification enables you to develop lifelong learning skills that will open doors to further study and career development. You can choose from a wide variety of fascinating modules in any subjects you like, depending on your interests and career aspirations ? including work-related modules to help you in your current role and enhance your future employability.
OpenLearn Search website
OpenLearn Links
Footer Menu
Our partners
OpenLearn works with other organisations by providing free courses and resources that support our mission of opening up educational opportunities to more people in more places.


©1999-2020. All rights reserved. The Open University is incorporated by Royal Charter (RC 000391), an exempt charity in England & Wales and a charity registered in Scotland (SC 038302). The Open University is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in relation to its secondary activity of credit broking.
We invite you to discuss this subject, but remember this is a public forum.
Please be polite, and avoid your passions turning into contempt for others. We may delete posts that are rude or aggressive, or edit posts containing contact details or links to other websites.