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Post by Deleted on Nov 24, 2014 10:16:31 GMT
If your relationship is as stable and long-term as you say then you'll be talking it over with her, no doubt ??........ Life-changing decisions are much easier to make when the two of you make them together.....
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monkeyhero97
Part of the e-furniture
Got a 7 1/4" Stafford and 2 1/2" WD 2-10-0, building Ayesha and thinking about Q1.
Posts: 423
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Post by monkeyhero97 on Nov 24, 2014 11:05:03 GMT
Indeed, her first choice is Durham, doing physcology so newcastle suits us both well However, surely a degree a loughborough would get me further. Having said that, the degree is better at newcastle, which involves rail. Marc
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weary
Part of the e-furniture
Posts: 290
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Post by weary on Nov 24, 2014 16:12:49 GMT
Hi,
One of my relatives is undertaking an engineering degree at Zurich Polytechnic. I get to see some of the work that he does. It looks like an interesting and challenging course. Whilst the course is in German, you have to have English to undertake it as part of his course requires the preparation and presentation of a piece of practical work and documentary research in English (Topic: nano-technology in his case) Have you looked at that as a possibility as the Poly itself is very highly thought of internationally? I believe that some of the Swiss engineering companies either sponsor students and/or offer paid work in holidays etc.
Regards,
Phil
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Post by Staffordshirechina on Nov 24, 2014 18:22:33 GMT
One thing to bear in mind with any technical degree is that you are very likely to end up as a man manager, supervising technicians, not actually doing the jobs yourself. I suspect there are lots of us here that are degree qualified engineers but spend their days doing paperwork. The only time you get into a workshop is at home! As mentioned above, sometimes it can be better to do an un-glamorous, well paid job, 9 to 5, weekdays and then have a good hobby.
Les
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Post by Deleted on Nov 24, 2014 19:08:14 GMT
Nano-Technology ??........... Making a Micron look like the Petronas Towers eh ??...........Does Roger know ??
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Post by jordanleeds on Nov 24, 2014 19:16:35 GMT
At 25 i have recently gone down the route of a career in engineering albeit the non traditional apprenticship and no degree. I work now as a Boilermsmith on some of the preserved locomotives we have over here
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PH
Seasoned Member
Posts: 112
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Post by PH on Nov 24, 2014 19:23:54 GMT
If you're really keen on mechanical engineering for railways, you could consider Valenciennes in the north of France. The engineering school has links to trainmakers with several research teams working in the field. A well-respected qualification and much cheaper than Britain. Many students study part-time and work part-time for Alstom, Bombardier and the SNCF - they basically get their education free. (and no, I don't work there)
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smallbrother
Elder Statesman
Errors aplenty, progress slow, but progress nonetheless!
Posts: 2,269
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Post by smallbrother on Nov 24, 2014 20:07:21 GMT
It may just be my way of thinking but I prefer to have a hobby which is different to my way of making a living. I took my professional life very seriously, and paid the price heavily for having strong principles. With a hobby I feel there should be no pressure, standards and challenges certainly, but nothing that makes you lose sleep.
Pete.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 24, 2014 20:13:03 GMT
Reeves prices makes me loose sleep !!
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Post by Rob on Nov 24, 2014 21:15:41 GMT
Yeah, me too, though they seem strangely reasonable for bar stock and rivets...
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steam4ian
Elder Statesman
One good turn deserves another
Posts: 2,069
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Post by steam4ian on Nov 24, 2014 21:25:10 GMT
Marc
Make enquiries of the Unis about where their graduates have been employed. Ask for a list of recent and proposed graduate, honours graduate and PhD projects and recent publications and papers.
If you a set on steam then you will need to look at schools with a strong thermodynamics emphasis. BTW, steam is not going to be making a comeback. If more rail then look for papers on wheel rail interface, bogie suspension dynamics and bogie tracking.
Since you are from Switzerland you probably can handle French (and the French) so the advice about French Unis related to rail is sound.
I am a professional engineer and have moved up the ladder and out sideways. When you start the building blocks are hands on the equipment you dreamt of during your undergraduate days. As you move up the building blocks get bigger and start to involve very unpredictable materials, people and politics. It is still engineering because you make things happen and it can be satisfying at a new level.
Good luck Ian
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monkeyhero97
Part of the e-furniture
Got a 7 1/4" Stafford and 2 1/2" WD 2-10-0, building Ayesha and thinking about Q1.
Posts: 423
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Post by monkeyhero97 on Nov 24, 2014 22:41:11 GMT
I am not Swiss. hehe since Im half french and english, there is friction between the swiss and french ( in a jokey way of course!). Zurich certainly is good.... its the best in the world, topping all tables, topping US unis and imperial college london. All education is free in france and switzerland ( there are benefits of a socialist french system ) . I do speak french fluently and german, so fine for France, but I do want to be back in the UK. Only the US would be a no no regarding fees, but I have no desire to go beyond europe. I really would love to be a boiler smith Jordan, but my parents wouldnt be happy and say its a waste, defintely against what I think. I have looked into BESTT and it would be a dream come true for, I would love to here your experience . I should look at France definitely, but i do not want to live in France. I have just moved out of France, and although I love my country, its best to visit it and thats it, I would classify it as 'politically unstable'. Valanciennes looks great though. I do have my great great great uncle who is chairman of advance rail tech; www.advancedrailtech.com/tom-greaves.htmlHopefully he should be able to get be on the right track Cheers Marc
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jma1009
Elder Statesman
Posts: 5,901
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Post by jma1009 on Nov 24, 2014 23:06:24 GMT
hi marc, wherever you go, you need to be happy and feel comfortable with your chosen place, and need to visit it first. i hated all the 'campus' universities i visited and opted for a traditional city university in the UK. as a slight aside don young very kindly provided the secretary of the local ME club with a letter of recommendation for me! i spent every wednesday and saturday at the local model engineering society for 3 years in term time! the first term's scholarship payment paid for the boiler materials and silver solder for my first loco! cheers, julian
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Post by peterseager on Nov 27, 2014 8:07:05 GMT
Degree courses seem to be more specialised these days. I opted for a Physics Degree and then started work as a development engineer in air radio before moving into primary and secondary radars. I was lucky because as I came to the stage, as mentioned above, where you end up going into management the company decided the it was losing too many good engineers and not getting good managers so it made a career path for engineers to stay as engineers. You still end up engineering paper because you are defining systems for others to manage the design and build but the result was I have enjoyed my working days and I think that is important. The companies I worked for mainly employed electronic engineers but they all had a small mechanical engineering department.
Peter
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