Career Change - Engineering to Business

gandar

Was hoping to get some advice with regard to a potential career change from my current role in engineering consultancy into the business environs. I'm coming up to 10 years qualified as a civil engineer, and have mainly worked in design consultancy roles since graduation. The big problem is, I've never really enjoyed it!

Seeing as I've almost another 40 years of my working life ahead of me, I'm veering towards trying to orchestrate a career change before it's too late. I'm reasonably young enough hopefully at 31 to be able to do this, and am currently considering applying for a 1 year taught M.Sc. in Management (Business) in DCU starting this September. It’s a big call to make for me, and I was wondering does anyone have any past experience of this course?

Coming from an engineering background my technical and analytical skills would be very good, and I would feel that, in particular, my report writing skills are excellent. I have notions about trying to steer towards a consultancy advisory services role with the likes of KPMG or E & Y.

I have always relished being given a brief, investigating & researching it, with a report to be subsequently prepared and presented. In my current role, this opportunity comes up every now and then, but unfortunately in the main I'm tied up in design work, which I'm rapidly losing interest in.

The mantra goes that engineering skills are extremely transferrable and that engineers are very sought after in other industry areas. But is this really the case?

Would love to hear about anyone who has been in a similar place in their career.

danthefan

I've less work experience than you but I studied mechanical engineering, worked for a couple of years, and did a MSc in Smurfit. Had a job sorted months before the course ended. Found it very easy in interviews to take the stuff I'd worked on as an engineer and make it relevant to a business environment.

That's just one anecdote though obviously, but I would imagine you'd do well.