Careers Information will be displayed below

You'll normally need a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree to become a design engineer.

You could choose from subjects like:

• engineering product design
• industrial design
• computer-aided design engineering
• engineering design and manufacture
• materials science

Mechanical, electrical and civil engineering qualifications may also be acceptable to employers.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
• 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

You may be able to start by taking a product design and development engineer degree apprenticeship.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship

Further information

You can get more details about engineering careers and training from the The Institution of Engineering Designers and Tomorrow's Engineers.

You'll need:

• design skills and knowledge
• knowledge of engineering science and technology
• the ability to come up with new ways of doing things
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• analytical thinking skills
• persistence and determination
• the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
• thinking and reasoning skills
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Your day-to-day duties would depend on the project, but could include:

• research (using mathematical modelling to work through new developments and innovations)
• design (turning research ideas into technical plans for prototypes using computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-assisted engineering (CAE) software)
• testing (collecting and analysing data from prototype testing)
• modifying designs (ahead of manufacture or installation)
• reporting (writing or presenting to project managers and clients)

You could work in an office.