Electrician to Engineer

HopsAndJumps

Im studying part time in IT sligo, I completed a L7 in mechatronics and im in the level 8 now. 

Its torture at times but Id recommend  it sligo. The L8 is a lot easier than the L7 so far, I know guys doing the L8 in ITB and that one seems harder.
You have two labs a semester in IT sligo. If you are living away they can arrange something to give you CA, attending per   semester is highly recommended. You can do your exams online. 
I think completing a year of the course from Australia is possible, the course will be full by the end of this month.

David6330

I'd recommend the MEng in Mechatronics at the University of Limerick. Its a level 9 course. It helped me get my foot in the door as an automation engineer.

aido79

Augeo wrote: »

I'd consider doing some GMP courses.
Like, you were working on the electrical side of industrial construction
Opportunities in calibration etc could lead to better things too.... you have an industrial automation qualification too. The ole 4-20mA, profibus etc should all be up your street.

Thanks. I'd never heard of Gmp courses but I'll check them out.

aido79

HopsAndJumps wrote: »

Im studying part time in IT sligo, I completed a L7 in mechatronics and im in the level 8 now. 

Its torture at times but Id recommend  it sligo. The L8 is a lot easier than the L7 so far, I know guys doing the L8 in ITB and that one seems harder.
You have two labs a semester in IT sligo. If you are living away they can arrange something to give you CA, attending per   semester is highly recommended. You can do your exams online. 
I think completing a year of the course from Australia is possible, the course will be full by the end of this month.

The only thing I would have against this course is that it is not accredited by Engineers Ireland. As I can't rule out a return to Australia I would prefer to do a course that will be recognised here.
I've also studied part time before while working full-time and it was tough going. That was before I had kids. With 2 kids I don't think I could do it.

aido79

David6330 wrote: »

I'd recommend the MEng in Mechatronics at the University of Limerick. Its a level 9 course. It helped me get my foot in the door as an automation engineer.

Limerick is not really an option but I'll have a look at the course anyway. Thanks.
I would be very interested in working towards becoming an automation engineer. Did you come from an electrical background before doing the course?

David6330

aido79 wrote: »

Limerick is not really an option but I'll have a look at the course anyway. Thanks.
I would be very interested in working towards becoming an automation engineer. Did you come from an electrical background before doing the course?

No but there was one guy who had did. The majority had engineering backgrounds (mechanical, electronics etc.)

SL Controls were involved with this course and they have taken on guys with electrical backgrounds as automation engineers. Its worth checking them out.

aido79

David6330 wrote: »

No but there was one guy who had did. The majority had engineering backgrounds (mechanical, electronics etc.)

SL Controls were involved with this course and they have taken on guys with electrical backgrounds as automation engineers. Its worth checking them out.

Thanks for that. I just had a quick look at their website and they seem like exactly the type of company I'd like to work for.
I'll get in contact with them.

David6330

aido79 wrote: »

Thanks for that. I just had a quick look at their website and they seem like exactly the type of company I'd like to work for.
I'll get in contact with them.

No bother. FYI, there are companies like Modular Automation who are machine builders if you've more interest in the automation machinery building/design side of things.

SL Controls and the like manily concentrate software side of things.

aido79

Been doing a bit of research since posting last time about mechatronics. There seems to be a lot negativity towards mechatronics with a lot of people calling it a jack of all trades master of none degree and that you're better off doing either a straight electrical or straight mechanical degree.
Has anyone got any opinions or experiences they could share to help me make my choice? I'm not intending to start until September 2019 so still got a bit of time to decide.

salmocab

Limerick IT and Tallaght IT both offer part time electrical engineering courses, think the Limerick one is block release and Tallaght is a day and a half a week.

aido79

salmocab wrote: »

Limerick IT and Tallaght IT both offer part time electrical engineering courses, think the Limerick one is block release and Tallaght is a day and a half a week.

I just saw that Tallaght have announced they are doing this course too and it is definitely an option which I am considering.
Any idea how hard it is to get a place on the course? I presume I would have to get the job first but do a lot of companies push for electricians currently employed by them to do the course rather than hiring a new electrician ?

aido79

sugarman wrote: »

Speaking from experience, do not do Mechatronics. It's exactly as you describe it and found it painfully hard to find employment from here in Ireland.

The course itself just too broad and is constantly chopping and changing from one to the other, months or even years apart. As in you might do a certain mechanical related module in your first semester, then not touch on in again until your fourth.. and because of the broadness of trying to cover 2 subjects as such, it leaves you with pretty much half the knowledge and skill set you'd pick up studying just one or the other. I wish I just chose electronics outright, that's mainly what I've been working in and have had to retrain in.. tho I'm looking to make the move to software now myself. That's where the real money is.

Thanks for the advice. It's good to hear from someone who's been through the course. Did you do it in DCU?

Also is there much of a demand for electronic engineers? Even though I'm an electrician I have a level 7 electronics qualification(probably wouldn't be recognised as it's 17 years old and I never worked in electronics) I would be far more interested in the electronics side of things.
Software could be another option too as there seems to be a big demand for software engineers.

Wanderer78

aido79 wrote:

Also is there much of a demand for electronic engineers? Even though I'm an electrician I have a level 7 electronics qualification(probably wouldn't be recognised as it's 17 years old and I never worked in electronics) I would be far more interested in the electronics side of things. Software could be another option too as there seems to be a big demand for software engineers.

My suspicions would be that the majority of electronics jobs have been shifted to places such as China, and we d have more software based jobs nowadays, but maybe there's some opportunities in industrial electronics here

aido79

Wanderer78 wrote: »

My suspicions would be that the majority of electronics jobs have been shifted to places such as China, and we d have more software based jobs nowadays, but maybe there's some opportunities in industrial electronics here

That would be what I would have thought too. Industrial electronics would definitely be an area I could see myself liking so another option for me to consider.

aido79

aido79 wrote: »

................. I presume I would have to get the job first but do a lot of companies push for electricians currently employed by them to do the course rather than hiring a new electrician ?

If they employ you as an electrician they won't be pushing you to do a course in elec eng.

aido79

Augeo wrote: »

If they employ you as an electrician they won't be pushing you to do a course in elec eng.

So I take it I'd have to wait until a position is advertised offering to put me through the course.
I've been looking at job adverts but haven't come across any that offer these positions.

salmocab

salmocab wrote: »

Limerick IT and Tallaght IT both offer part time electrical engineering courses, think the Limerick one is block release and Tallaght is a day and a half a week.

aido79 wrote: »

I just saw that Tallaght have announced they are doing this course too and it is definitely an option which I am considering.
Any idea how hard it is to get a place on the course? I presume I would have to get the job first but do a lot of companies push for electricians currently employed by them to do the course rather than hiring a new electrician ?

aido79 wrote: »

So I take it I'd have to wait until a position is advertised offering to put me through the course.
I've been looking at job adverts but haven't come across any that offer these positions.

Are you serious?
If you want to become an engineer while working as an electrician some companies might facilitate that by allowing study leave etc, some might even pay for some or all of your fees but I'd say it's unheard of for companies to actively hire an electrician that they want to become an engineer (as part of the role they are hiring for)

aido79

Augeo wrote: »

Are you serious?
If you want to become an engineer while working as an electrician some companies might facilitate that by allowing study leave etc, some might even pay for some or all of your fees but I'd say it's unheard of for companies to actively hire an electrician that they want to become an engineer (as part of the role they are hiring for)

I'm not really sure what you mean.

Is that not what these level 7 apprenticeships are for?

http://www.it-tallaght.ie/index.cfm/page/currentnews/id/627

http://apprenticeship.lit.ie/apprenticeships/b-eng-in-industrial-electrical-engineering-apprenticeship/

2011

aido79 wrote: »

I'm not really sure what you mean.

Is that not what these level 7 apprenticeships are for?

Call me a cynic, but the primary aim of many courses it to put bums on seats to keep lecturers in jobs.

aido79

2011 wrote: »

Call me a cynic, but the primary aim of many courses it to put bums on seats to keep lecturers in jobs.

Is there any courses you could recommend to get wannabe engineers in jobs?

aido79

aido79 wrote: »

Is there any courses you could recommend to get wannabe engineers in jobs?

A level 8 degree in elec eng.
Your existing trade and the level 7 in electronics might well allow you to do just one of two years to get there.

aido79

Augeo wrote: »

A level 8 degree in elec eng.
Your existing trade and the level 7 in electronics might well allow you to do just one of two years to get there.

Ideally I would like to do a level 8 degree. I'm just looking at other options if I am not accepted into place on a level 8 degree course.
My trade will be recognised for advanced entry but my level 7 electronics is unlikely to be recognised as it is more than 10 years old so I would think entry into the second year is the best I could hope for which would mean 3 years study.

2011

aido79 wrote: »

Is there any courses you could recommend to get wannabe engineers in jobs?

Sent you a PM.

eurokev

Augeo wrote:

Are you serious? If you want to become an engineer while working as an electrician some companies might facilitate that by allowing study leave etc, some might even pay for some or all of your fees but I'd say it's unheard of for companies to actively hire an electrician that they want to become an engineer (as part of the role they are hiring for)

Completely wrong. In fact a lot of companies hire electricians that they want to become enginneers. I've had an interview very recently for which this was on offer.

Look at dornans scholarship program. I think Kirby's are doing it too. For another example. Can't link on the phone.

Although not explicitly stated, the better companies will support an electrician looking to become an engineer from my experience.

I have been going to night classes for the last number of years completely supported by my company. A lot of other guys in class with me who were with the larger electrical contractors, Jones eng for example, had their fees paid and extra annual leave.

A lot of the guys I know from the course are now off the tools and are now working as engineers with their companies.

Ash.J.Williams

Just for the record I work with an engineer who was an electrician and he's the best engineer I've ever worked with... I think he was an apprentice of the year too so I guess he's a high achiever

2011

The ESB have been known to put some of their electrical apprentices on to electrical engineering degree courses midway through their apprenticeship.

eurokev

eurokev wrote: »

Completely wrong. In fact a lot of companies hire electricians that they want to become enginneers. I've had an interview very recently for which this was on offer.

Look at dornans scholarship program. I think Kirby's are doing it too. For another example. Can't link on the phone.

Although not explicitly stated, the better companies will support an electrician looking to become an engineer from my experience.

.....s.

I said some companies do facilitate it.
So I can't be completely wrong.

Dornans.... & Jones eng aren't the pinnacle of engineering to be fair. They'd not design much of note.

The dornans thing is the level 7..... a pass degree. You might be off the tools but you won't be an engineer.

aido79

Augeo wrote: »

I said some companies do facilitate it.
So I can't be completely wrong.

Dornans.... & Jones eng aren't the pinnacle of engineering to be fair. They'd not design much of note.

The dornans thing is the level 7..... a pass degree. You might be off the tools but you won't be an engineer.

The level 7 is also not recognised by Engineers Ireland and in turn not recognised by Engineers Australia. I can't rule out a return to Australia in the future so a level 8 qualification is definitely preferable.

There are plenty folk in Ireland working as engineers without level 8 quals, the level 8 would be a huge plus though for various reasons.

The level 7 apprenticeship thing is just what used to be a diploma coupled with the pre reqs that were required for a trade qualified person to get into the diploma year.

An ordinary degree is now what a diploma used to be. Plenty of electricians and E&I folk got diplomas back in the day, some went on to do degrees etc.

The level 7 degree thing now results in lads (some) reckoning they will be job done qualification wise, off the tools and proper engineers after the 2 year level 7 thing. A new breed of know it alls

aido79

Augeo wrote: »

There are plenty folk in Ireland working as engineers without level 8 quals, the level 8 would be a huge plus though for various reasons.

The level 7 apprenticeship thing is just what used to be a diploma coupled with the pre reqs that were required for a trade qualified person to get into the diploma year.

An ordinary degree is now what a diploma used to be. Plenty of electricians and E&I folk got diplomas back in the day, some went on to do degrees etc.

The level 7 degree thing now results in lads (some) reckoning they will be job done qualification wise, off the tools and proper engineers after the 2 year level 7 thing. A new breed of know it alls

I wasn't sure how much respect is given to the level 7 apprenticeship so thanks for explaining it that. To me it sounds a bit like you would be able to call yourself an engineer while working with the company that you done your apprenticeship with but good luck in getting another engineering job if you want to leave.