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Apprenticeship and Engineering Degree.

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  • 24-01-2021 1:04pm
    #1
    carrollsno1
    Registered Users Posts: 2,187 ✭✭✭


    Well hows things, currently doing a pipefitting apprenticeship and would be looking into possibly doing an online or part time engineering degree in the coming years. I cant really decide which is more suited to me as a pipefitter is it civil or mechanical i should go for?
    Also any reccomendations on Engineering books related to my trade that ye could reccomend. Its doubtful ill ever work as an Engineer but i could see it being beneficial having the qualification as well as the trade if ever i have to emigrate or opportunities arise here.
    TiA

    Better living everyone



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    #2
    Gumbo
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 38,439 Mod ✭✭✭✭Gumbo


    carrollsno1 wrote: »
    Well hows things, currently doing a pipefitting apprenticeship and would be looking into possibly doing an online or part time engineering degree in the coming years. I cant really decide which is more suited to me as a pipefitter is it civil or mechanical i should go for?
    Also any reccomendations on Engineering books related to my trade that ye could reccomend. Its doubtful ill ever work as an Engineer but i could see it being beneficial having the qualification as well as the trade if ever i have to emigrate or opportunities arise here.
    TiA

    As a pipe fitter, I very much doubt civil would be of any benefit so I’d say mechanical. When I don’t my civil/structural part time in DIT Bolton Street (2002-2007), we were in with the mechanical lads for some classes then we’d separate for the dedicated classes associated with your chosen subject.


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    #3
    carrollsno1
    Registered Users Posts: 2,187 ✭✭✭carrollsno1


    Gumbo wrote: »
    As a pipe fitter, I very much doubt civil would be of any benefit so I’d say mechanical. When I don’t my civil/structural part time in DIT Bolton Street (2002-2007), we were in with the mechanical lads for some classes then we’d separate for the dedicated classes associated with your chosen subject.

    What i was thinking exactly myself too for a while but im more in gaslines and water lines compared to the mechanical side of maintaining and designing machines.

    Better living everyone



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    #4
    dh1985
    Registered Users Posts: 586 ✭✭✭dh1985


    carrollsno1 wrote: »
    What i was thinking exactly myself too for a while but im more in gaslines and water lines compared to the mechanical side of maintaining and designing machines.

    Definitely mechanical. Could be useful having your skillset with pipe fitting in facilities or maintenance engineering. That background would be desirable. Should be decent opportunities in a lot of modern factories/multinationals


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    #5
    TheBoyConor
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,292 ✭✭✭TheBoyConor


    well you probably have a good bit of crossover there so. And on gas and water projects there is a big overlap. tbh, most projects have significant overlap of disciplines. The civil side would not be too concerned with the pipework other than sizing the diameters and and are more concerned with how it is installed in the ground and reinstatement, probably will be the ones dealing with landowners and the project management side too.


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    #6
    carrollsno1
    Registered Users Posts: 2,187 ✭✭✭carrollsno1


    Its mainly gas/oil im hoping to work with in the future and im reading up a bit lately about how hydrogen gas is gonna kick off in Australia in a few years. Basically im just looking to give myself an extra edge over others so ill be kept, headhunted or have no problem moving to Australia or wherever the work is in a few years. Ive no intention of working as an engineer really, i just want to be as good as i can get at the gig im at now.

    Better living everyone



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    #7
    TheBoyConor
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,292 ✭✭✭TheBoyConor


    Realistically, if you're working in the oil n gas sector as a pipe fitter or welder, you'll probably be making more money than most of the engineers, and vastly more than an engineering technician.

    I'd stick with that.


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    #8
    _Brian
    Registered Users Posts: 18,475 ✭✭✭✭_Brian


    The other option career wise that would go with pipe fitting would be Quantity surveyor. It would give you a particular insight into pricing and managing jobs.

    After that the mechanical engineering would be a good fit.


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    #9
    carrollsno1
    Registered Users Posts: 2,187 ✭✭✭carrollsno1


    Ill look into the QS this evening. I said it to a workmate yesterday about the engineering and was i mad to think about it? He said it seems a bit mad alright but he was thinking of doing one himself all the same. The apprenticeships training has slowed right down with the pandemic too as i see now the common modules for phase one have been scrapped and theres plenty waiting two yesrs or more to get into phase two as it is. Its likely ill be waiting more thsn two years as well and if the whole apprenticeship is to be completed with all up 208 weeks between both on and off the job training it could hsppeh yet that some off the job phases will be cancelled yet.

    Better living everyone



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    #10
    TheBoyConor
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,292 ✭✭✭TheBoyConor


    tbh i don't see how pipe fitting carries across into Quantity Surveying. Engineering yes but QS, not really. It is mostly dealing with BoQs and contractual and project management matters. The pipe fitting experience won't have any real benefit there. If you are a practical minded person, QS will be a bit of a drag.


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    #11
    Outkast_IRE
    Registered Users Posts: 7,515 ✭✭✭Outkast_IRE


    I completed my plumbing apprenticeship and went back to the Building Services Degree. Its a degree that builds very well off the plumbing apprenticeship and is a very versatile career down the line , with excellent potential for staying in Ireland or travelling the world.

    Go for something mechanical based anyway, either Building Services or Mechanical Engineering ,both are a good shout.

    I am working for a Engineering Consultancy 5 years now, but if i wanted to in the morning i could go to a Facilities Engineering or work for Contractors.

    There are good post graduate courses now for engineers to learn M&E quantity surveying , the Degree is only a stepping stone its up to you to shape your career. If you get good results on the degree you will have a job lined up months before you finish. Be warned though , you will not step straight into big money in engineering ,its only in the last 2 years i am earning more than i was when plumbing.

    Engineers Ireland Publish their salary surveys each year, they are the most accurate insight into the industry, dont mind the ones on the recruitment firms websites, they are ok but not as accurate.

    Have a serious think on your plans though , its a big change , There is more than one thread on here with plenty of Good engineers looking to get out of Construction & Engineering .


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    #12
    shesty
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,893 Mod ✭✭✭✭shesty


    I am a civil engineer working in the gas industry.
    It's a mechanical course you want. Definitely not civil.


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    #13
    Car99
    Registered Users Posts: 2,530 ✭✭✭Car99


    carrollsno1 wrote: »
    Well hows things, currently doing a pipefitting apprenticeship and would be looking into possibly doing an online or part time engineering degree in the coming years. I cant really decide which is more suited to me as a pipefitter is it civil or mechanical i should go for?
    Also any reccomendations on Engineering books related to my trade that ye could reccomend. Its doubtful ill ever work as an Engineer but i could see it being beneficial having the qualification as well as the trade if ever i have to emigrate or opportunities arise here.
    TiA

    Be as good as you can be in your trade and look at getting a project management qualification. Years in the field and project management at a later stage of your career .


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    #14
    ChippingSodbury
    Registered Users Posts: 1,343 ✭✭✭ChippingSodbury


    shesty wrote: »
    I am a civil engineer working in the gas industry.
    It's a mechanical course you want. Definitely not civil.

    What's the difference between Mechanical Engineers & Civil Engineers?

    Mechanical Engineers build weapons, Civil Engineers build targets!

    Seriously though, Mech Eng in my opinion gives a broader range of opportunities than Civil. From your perspective, pumping systems/ steam systems are everywhere so there will never be a shortage of either fitting or design work. Horsing around 6" pipes in the snow won't be much fun in your 40's. There is great money in Engineering contracting but project work and travel wear you down especially as you get a bit older and want to settle down. There is also a fairly high level of alcoholism among nomadic project workers.


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    #15
    TheBoyConor
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,292 ✭✭✭TheBoyConor


    I would say both engineering disciplines have enormous levels of variety of work you could be doing.

    I am a civil engineer and have worked on a multitude of stuff in the last 7 years. Flood releif, urban roads, motorways, buildings, ports, utilities, coastal defences.


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    #16
    carrollsno1
    Registered Users Posts: 2,187 ✭✭✭carrollsno1


    Had a look at the CIT online Mechanical Engineering degree last week, a lot kf robotics in it from what i could see.
    Im more interested in the workings of the mechanical side of things like the pumps, boilers, regulstors, pilots and the whole process along the pipelines.

    Better living everyone



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    #17
    shesty
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,893 Mod ✭✭✭✭shesty


    Which course was that Carrolls? I had a quick look through there and the Mechanical courses I can see on CIT seem fairly...well, mechanical, as far as I can see...


    From what I work in, I regularly am stuck in conversations about spools, regulators, valves, pipes and similar. Nothing I learned in civil engineering, truth be told, when it comes right down to the workings of valves and spools and regulators and the like. I have enough of an engineering background to understand the details if I ask for an explanation, but in terms of designing them or anything, that would definitely be more mechanical (also not my role, so not worried about that side of it)


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    #18
    carrollsno1
    Registered Users Posts: 2,187 ✭✭✭carrollsno1


    https://springboardcourses.ie/details/8284

    Think ive found one to suit me and the trade im in and i will chase it up within the next few weeks. It says its a level 7 but it also says its a certificate not a degree, which is conflicting. Would anyone following this thread have any feedback on this side of Engineering? Its not a side id have sver thought id have seen myself looking into.

    Better living everyone



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