Manufacture engineering is all about making useful 'things' from new materials. They mostly work in industries, which produce components and products. They design, build and maintain all the systems in factories, including automated and computer-controlled machines.

Chemical Engineering

Using the processes that change materials in a chemical and physical way. Chemical engineers need to understand the science behind these processes to find out the best way to make the right products. Chemical engineers work mainly in the industries of fuel refining, food processing, brewing and the production of materials (anything from plastics and paint to pharmaceuticals).

Both in the labs and out on the factory floor, Chemical engineers solve problems with Chemistry. This is not for people who want to sit in an office all day. It is for anyone who is into Maths and Science in school and wants to solve problems in the real world.

There are opportunities for all kinds of jobs in Chemical Engineering. Some of these include:

Environmental Engineer: One role could involve designing waste storage and treatment facilities, as well as pollution control strategies for plant operations.

Biomedical Specialist: Works alongside physicians to develop systems that track critical chemical processes in the body. They may be involved in the design of artificial organs, such as hearts and lungs.

Civil Engineering

Civil engineering is designing, building and looking after structures, for example roads, railways, tunnels, bridges and airports.

They usually work as part of a team carrying out large projects. Most openings are for people with a degree in Civil Engineering. For most people, that means studying Maths and Physics A level.

Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical engineers design, develop, install, operate and maintain just about anything that has moveable parts, ranging from heart valves and artificial limbs to clockwork radios, television cameras, dentist drills, racing cars or jet engines. Most industry relies on Mechanical systems and Mechanical engineering is the most diverse of all different engineering disciplines. There are career opportunities in every sector from space travel to medical science and Grand Prix racing to TV broadcasting.

Electrical/Electronic Engineering

Electrical/Electronic engineers read electrical and electronic wiring diagrams, are involved in the manufacture and maintenance of electrical and electronic equipment, install electrical and electronic machinery or equipment and diagnose faults and carry out repairs on electrical/electronic machinery, equipment or systems.

Fabrication/Welding Engineering

Sheetmetal workers change flat sheets of metal into different shapes.

Platers work with heavier metals and often need to use heavier equipment for cutting, forming and lifting.

Welders use welding equipment producing intense heat to join metal together permanently.

Pipe Fitters make piping for carrying gases and liquids. They also test the pipes when they are installed.

Job Descriptions

Here are just a few examples of job descriptions:

Project Engineer

Oversees the design and construction of specific processes in a facility. After construction, they may assist in equipment testing, operator training and plant start-up. Project engineers may be responsible for the design, and start-up, of a specific process in a facility.

Product Engineer

Follows the production cycle of a particular product to ensure that it is being produced according to specification. Product Engineers may work with Marketing and Research and Development to ensure that a product will meet the needs of customers, then see the products through production. They may work on new products or special variation of existing products.

Research & Development Engineer

Seeks out new and more efficient ways of using and producing existing products. Explores and develops new processes and products and determines their usefulness and applicability.

Quality Control Engineer

Monitors the manufacture of a product to ensure that it meets specifications. Also, tests materials to determine how they perform over time. Quality Control Engineers may bring samples of a product in from a Field test or from a normal application and test them to determine how specific properties change over time.