Explore & Discover

Role Description

Skills required

You’ll need:

• creativity
• the ability to work with garden design drawings
• organisational skills
• practical skills to work with a variety of tools, and possibly small plant machinery
• business skills, if you decide to become self-employed

What you'll do

Your day-to-day duties may include:

• discussing clients’ needs 
• working from plans made by garden designers or landscape architects
• ordering supplies
• preparing the ground or interior space
• turfing and seeding lawns
• planting and pruning trees and shrubs
• putting in new plants
• installing features like paving, paths, water features and rock gardens
• advising the client on how to look after the space
• providing on-going maintenance

Role Description

All measurements have an associated uncertainty and if the uncertainty is not understood, the result of a measurement may lead to incorrect end results and conclusions. The Metrology Engineer is responsible for the management and control of all systems, devices, equipment and items requiring calibration. The Senior Metrology Engineers primary role is day-to-day technical management of the calibration/metrology program.

• Maintain a laboratory quality management system
• Develop procedures and methods.
• Review, revise, document and maintain calibration systems and procedures and methods

Perform: 

• Analyse data and caliberation to acheive reliable goals
  
• Analyse, evaluate and measure the capability of lab and equipment
• Evaluate equrements to measure and make recommendations on products to purchase.
• Identify abnomralities and trends
• Apply measurement science, mathematics, physics and engineering to design and develop systems, equipment and methods of calibrating electrical, dimensional, optical, physical, mechanical, environmental, and/or chemical inspection, measurement and test equipment.

Role Description

1. Entry requirements

You’ll normally need an Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) or Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) accredited BEng degree in chemical, process or biochemical engineering.

If you have a degree in a different branch of engineering, or a related subject like chemistry or polymer science, a postgraduate qualification in chemical or process engineering may increase your chances of finding work.
 
You could also take an integrated master’s qualification, like an MEng, to prepare you for further postgraduate study like a PhD or EngD.

Some universities offer a foundation year for people without qualifications in maths and science. 

Cogent Skills, IChemE, IET and Whynotchemeng have more information on becoming a chemical engineer.

2. Skills required

You’ll need: 

• maths and science skills, particularly chemistry 
• good problem-solving and analytical skills 
• planning and organisational ability 
• excellent IT skills 
• the ability to manage projects, budgets and people

3. What you'll do

You’ll be involved in the design, manufacture and operation of processes that turn raw materials into domestic and industrial products.

You could work in a range of industries, like:

• food and drink 
• pharmaceuticals 
• textiles 
• oil and gas 
• minerals 
• energy and water 
• biotechnology 

You may also research and develop new or improved products.

If you work in research and development, you’ll: 

• test new ways to develop products in the lab 
• use computer models to work out the safest and most cost-effective production methods 
• plan how to move lab tests into a pilot production phase, then on to large-scale industrial processing 
• develop methods to deal with by-products and waste materials in a safe way 

In manufacturing, you’ll:

• work with plant designers to create equipment and control instruments for the production process 
• help to oversee the day-to-day operation of the processing plant 
• monitor production and deal with problems 
• work closely with quality control and health and safety managers 

You could also work in biochemical engineering, developing anything from new medicines like vaccines and stem cell therapies, to sources of sustainable energy like biofuels.

4. Salary

Starter: £29,000

Experienced: £55,000

Highly Experienced: £60,000 (senior chartered chemical engineer)

These figures are a guide.

5. Working hours, patterns and environment

You’ll usually work 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. You may need to work overtime to meet project deadlines. In processing and manufacturing, you might work shifts, including weekends, evenings and nights.

You could be based in a lab, an office or a processing plant. In some environments you may need to wear protective clothing or use equipment like safety glasses, ear protectors or a hard hat.

6. Career path and progression

With experience, you could progress to senior process or design engineer, research and development manager. You could go on to be a plant manager, or overall operations manager.
 
You could also move into consultancy work.

Role Description

Your day-to-day duties might include:

• assessing the environmental impact of agricultural production methods
• supervising construction projects, like land drainage, reclamation and irrigation
• solving engineering problems, like designing all-terrain vehicles to move over uneven ground in different weather conditions
• testing and installing new equipment, like harvesters, crop sprayers and logging machinery
• using  GPS, weather data and computer modelling to advise farmers and businesses on land use
• planning service and repair programmes for machinery
• You may also manage and coordinate sales, marketing and technical support.

Role Description

Skills required

You'll need:

• financial skills
• excellent negotiating and networking skills
• leadership and management skills

What you'll do

Your day-to-day tasks may include:

• deciding what goods, services and equipment are needed
• monitoring and forecasting stock levels
• researching and finding new products and suppliers
• assessing tenders from potential suppliers
• negotiating prices and agreeing contracts
• keeping up to date with market trends

In larger organisations you may run a purchasing department and lead a team of buyers and administrators. In smaller companies, you may combine purchasing with other management duties.

Role Description

1. Entry requirements

There are no set entry requirements, but some employers may ask for a good standard of general education.

Some employers may prefer you to have previous experience on a production line, and forklift training could be useful for some jobs.

You may have to take a test to assess your practical skills.

You could get into this job through an apprenticeship.

2. Skills required

You’ll need:

• good practical skills 
• the ability to work quickly and methodically 
• the ability to concentrate while doing repetitive tasks 
• the ability to follow instructions

3. What you'll do

Your day-to-day tasks may include:

• measuring, grading and feeding batches of raw materials into production machinery 
• operating production line equipment, like a conveyor line in a canning factory 
• assembling goods on a production line, like fitting circuit boards into computers 
• reporting equipment faults to maintenance staff 
• finishing products, for example applying protective coatings
• monitoring the production process and carrying out basic testing and quality checks 
• storing goods and raw materials in the factory or warehouse 
• using lifting equipment and forklift trucks 
• packing goods ready for shipment
• cleaning and maintaining work areas and machinery

You’ll usually work as part of a team under the supervision of a shift leader, carrying out several tasks within the same shift.

4. Salary

Starter: £14,000 to £17,000

Experienced: £18,000 to £20,000 

You may get extra payments for unsocial shifts and overtime, and productivity bonuses.

These figures are a guide.

5. Working hours, patterns and environment

You’ll usually cover a variety of shifts, including days, nights and weekends. Overtime is often available.

You’ll mainly work in a factory on a production line. You may spend a lot of your time standing while operating machinery, or sitting at a workbench or assembly line.

You’ll usually wear protective clothing, like overalls and safety shoes.

6. Career path and progression

With experience, you could be promoted to shift supervisor or move into quality control.

Role Description

Entry requirements

You’ll usually need experience as a training officer. 

A degree or postgraduate qualification in business studies, human resources or communications might be useful.

Other qualifications which may help are:

training qualifications offered by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)
qualifications in teaching or lecturing in further education (FE)
skills assessor or verifier awards
You could get into this job through an apprenticeship.

Skills required

You’ll need:

the ability to relate to staff at all levels
excellent communication and negotiating skills
the ability to coach people and give constructive feedback
presentation skills
IT skills

What you'll do

You’ll design and coordinate training that covers your organisation's present and future needs.

Your day-to-day duties could include:

identifying priorities and drawing up training plans
producing training materials
working with external providers to develop specialist courses
managing and leading a team
updating training records
writing reports, keeping records, and working within budgetsmaking sure training is cost-effective
In a smaller organisation you may also deliver some of the training.

Salary

Starter: £18,000 to £22,000

Experienced: £30,000 to £40,000

Highly Experienced: £45,000 or more

These figures are a guide

Working hours, patterns and environment

You’ll usually work 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. You may need to be flexible, to cover things like residential courses or workshops, or work shifts.

You’ll be office-based, but may travel between company sites or to training venues like hotels or conference centres.

Career path and progression

With experience and contacts, you could become a freelance trainer or consultant.

Role Description

You could work in print or online, in marketing, publishing, product or games design.

• Depending on your role, your day-to-day tasks may include:
• discussing the client's requirements and coming up with creative ideas
• working out budgets and deadlines
• producing rough drafts and presenting your ideas 
• preparing designs using specialist software
• making presentations to clients for feedback and approval
• producing a final layout 
• explaining requirements to photographers, printers, manufacturers or games developers
• keeping up with design trends and developments in software tools