Practical Mechanical Engineering Courses

smalls90

Hi, Im looking for any info on third level courses.

Im hoping to do a level 7 or 8 mech engineering course next September. I would like to do one that incorporates practical aspects such as welding, lathe, cnc, etc. Im leaning towards doing the Marine Eng course in NMCI as I've heard they have a great set up there and the course is very hands on.
Im Galway based so would prefer to stay here for family/ job reasons. Has anyone experience of mech eng in GMIT?
My real interest is in working with engines. Im open to working with engines of any size or type not specifically marine engines. Its probably worth noting that Im not interested in car mechanics.
I've been told that level 7 courses are generally more practical than level 8 which I've read from other threads here are more theory based.

Im currently studying a level 5 FETAC course in Motor tech. I have a leaving cert of 340 points. Im 23 so will also be applying as a mature student aswell.

Any info is really appreciated.

godtabh

smalls90 wrote: »

Im leaning towards doing the Marine Eng course in NMCI as I've heard they have a great set up there and the course is very hands on.

I cant answer question but I have been down to the NMCI and the set up there is world class. I was given a tour by the Navy so I'm not sure what I saw was restricted to Navy use only but it was very impressive

mawk

Cits mech Lvl 7 is not bad. You will do milling, turning, welding, cutting and a variety of hand tools in first and second year with the project in 3rd year being as practical as you feel like making it.

I also hear good things about UL but cannot say first hand.

My best advice for getting practical is to buy a set of files, a hacksaw and a vice for about 50e all in and make something. The broad foundation of these skills are practice and familiarity

DJW11

Dont go near UL if your looking for a practical type course, Im here now finishing my Mech. Degree after doing a level 6 Mech. cert in IT Sligo a few years back and I can tell you its all theory, but thats what I needed and wanted so in that respect I love it. If your looking to get hands on I can tell you even though in sligo, my course was as Mawk has described the course in CIT(I would imagine its the same in all the IT's), it was nowhere near the standard needed to work on engines. I found this out when I went working for company that used to work as a toolroom building race engines in Galway. They took me on but I had to complete a machining course with FAS, and even during that I had alot more work to do to get to the stage of being able to machine for anything related to engines. Dont know anything about the NMCI. To be honest like my previous employer in Galway found, there are no courses available that gear towards high end machining skillls for engine development type work, closest would be a toolmaking course, but then you dont learn about engines and all the theory that goes with them. Your best bet is get the basics from any course that has even one module of workshop type work, get that piece of paper, ideally at least level 7(pieces of paper are very important), then depending on where you want to work, maybe get straight into a company you want to work in where they will train you on more advanced machining methods(CNC and all that goes with it).

Can you be more specific about what you want to work on?

Dermighty

I'm in 3rd year Mech (L7) in CIt and it's very practical.

mawk

It's probably worth noting really that engineers are not really practical workers. Some to be sure, but not many.
All engineers need to know the abilities and limits of the tools but few use them day in and out.

If you really wish to work on engines becoming a diesel mechanic is probably a better choice. It's very likely to be better paid too.

As an engineer you will thermally model the suspension springs but a mechanic fits them.

smalls90

Cheers for the replies.

DJW11 wrote: »

Can you be more specific about what you want to work on?

I would like to work with heavy machinery. Im hoping to join the military, preferably navy as an Engine Room Artificer or similar but not ruling out army. Id need to be able to maintain big diesel engines.

mawk wrote: »

If you really wish to work on engines becoming a diesel mechanic is probably a better choice.

I am considering this but I would prefer to get a degree first. I have the opportunity at the moment to go to college but may look at this route after finishing a course.