Careers and Employability

Gaining a degree from the School of Engineering at the University of Aberdeen opens up a world of possibilities. We have alumni working in academia and industry throughout the world, many of whom came from overseas to study in Aberdeen and who are now working back in their home country or in other locations across the globe. 

We embed employability firmly within both our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, giving you the opportunity to gain a competitive advantage in the jobs market and to improve your earning potential. This means that we design our programmes to not only expand your expert knowledge but also to allow you to develop the skills and experience you need to achieve your career goals. 

Aberdeen - a hotbed of innovation

Aberdeen is the ideal location to study engineering as it spans both conventional and renewable energy which means there are enormouse opportunities for all kinds of engineers. The transition to low carbon economy is visible across our city and region, with projects including Hywind (the world’s first floating wind farm), the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (Scotland’s largest offshore wind test and demonstration facility), the city’s pioneering Hydrogen Bus Project, which has created Europe’s largest hydrogen-powered bus fleet and the new Energy Transition Zone which is attracting additional R&D investment to Aberdeen.

According to the Royal Academy of Engineering, Aberdeen is one of 13 engineering hot spots in the UK. Engineering generates more than £6bn (£6,565,044,338) GVA annually for the region with over 8,000 engineering businesses across the city and county.

Each programme within the School of Engineering will differ depending on the topic and the specific learning outcomes, but here are just a few examples of how we embed employability alongside the key subject-based knowledge you will learn:

Industry Guest Lectures 

Being based in Aberdeen, the Energy Capital of Europe, we are extremely fortunate to have a large number of engineering companies based nearby. Our students benefit from our close working relationships with these companies in many ways, and one way is the large number of industry professionals who come to our campus to give talks and lectures to our students. These talks give you a real insight into the challenges facing engineers today. 

Site Visits and Career Events 

Another big advantage of being based in Aberdeen, the Energy Capital of Europe, is the opportunity for our students to visit major international companies. Site visits and other industry events such as conferences, seminars and networking events are a fantastic way to see what working as an engineer is like and also to build up your professional network. 

Undergraduate Work Experience Course

All of our undergraduate students can apply for the optional Engineering Work Experience course in their 2nd year. The course was designed by the School of Engineering in partnership with the University’s Careers Service to develop students’ work readiness. The course embeds careers education in the academic curriculum and provides students with a work-related learning experience through employer-hosted consultancy-style projects.

Industry Projects 

A number of our programmes also offer opportunities for students to undertake projects involving our industry partners. Industry based projects are normally linked to your dissertation and provide an opportunity to enhance your employability by showing prospective employers how you can apply your academic knowledge and skills to a “real world” project.  

Curriculum Design 

We use industry advisory boards, made up of highly experienced engineering professionals, to help design the curriculum for each of our Masters degree programmes. This way, we can ensure that the topics and skills taught are highly relevant and also reflect the needs of industry. Like with our industry advisory boards, the various professional engineering bodies that accredit our relevant programmes, such as IChemE, IMechE and the Energy Institute also help ensure that our programmes meet the requirements of the engineering profession.