Cambridge for Mech Eng?

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No just my opinon it's also the opinion of many recruiting firms I've spoken to. It's one of the courses at Cambridge that we don't encourage people to consider; it hasn't changed enough to meet current requirements.

Oh yes I'm sure having an Engineering degree from Cambridge would hinder anyone's career.

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Reply 41

Muttley79

Original post by jneill

Oh yes I'm sure having an Engineering degree from Cambridge would hinder anyone's career.

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Well I could give specific examples but you won't believe me ...

Reply 42

DJP112

Hi there,

I'm a second year engineer at Cambridge and I'll try and answer a few of your queries.

FM is recommended as a huge amount of the first year maths (and other areas) course is dependent on it. The first term maths lectures do technically cover all of the FM content but at a very fast pace (even for people who have done FM). There's also a large amount of maths in the course so if your really not keen on maths this could something to consider.

I'm not sure about EPQs if it's something you're really interested in then it's probably worth doing. If you think it might impact your A level grades it's probably best to drop it as it won't really be considered by the admissions tutors. Similar with extra curriculars and work experience, they probably won't be considered too much by Cambridge.

There is a pretty big practical section of the course, there's usually 3 or 4 2 hour labs per week covering all the theory you do in lectures. There's also the structural design project in first year where you get to design, manufacture and test a bridge to destruction. In second year you build a robot in a team, choosing one area to work on in particular (e.g. mechanical or electrical).

As for the relevancy of the degree the first two years give you a solid base in all disciplines and then you go deeper into one or more specialisms in years 3 and 4. Some of the 4th year modules cover very up to date and specific stuff. http://teaching.eng.cam.ac.uk/content/part-iib-modules-sets-2015-16.

Hope this is helpful.

Reply 43

Beelzebob14

Original post by Muttley79

Not just my opinon it's also the opinion of many recruiting firms I've spoken to. It's one of the courses at Cambridge that we don't encourage people to consider; it hasn't changed enough to meet current requirements.

Their employment rate says otherwise.

Reply 44

Muttley79

Original post by Beelzebob14

Their employment rate says otherwise.

Do the graduates get the jobs they want though? Which firms do they go to?

Percentages hide a lot of facts.

Ask which software they use at Cambridge ...

Reply 45

Doones

Original post by Muttley79

Ask which software they use at Cambridge ...

For what?

http://www-h.eng.cam.ac.uk/help/software/PackageList

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 46

Doones

Original post by Muttley79

Do the graduates get the jobs they want though? Which firms do they go to?

https://www.linkedin.com/edu/alumni?id=12691&facets=&keyword=engineering&dateType=attended&startYear=&endYear=&incNoDates=true&start=0&count=10&filters=on&companyCount=3&functionCount=3&unadopted=false&trk=edu-cp-com-CC-title

29,000 ex-Cambridge engineers at:
Google
Arup
BP
Rolls-Royce
Shell
etc
etc

NB. Less than 5% are in the Finance sector.

4,500 - if we drill into Mechanical Engineering only
https://www.linkedin.com/edu/alumni?id=12691&facets=&keyword=mechanical%20engineering&dateType=attended&startYear=&endYear=&incNoDates=true&start=0&count=10&filters=on&companyCount=3&functionCount=3&unadopted=false&trk=edu-cp-com-CC-title

Rolls-Royce
Arup
BP
Schlumberger
Jaguar
etc
etc

Looks like they are doing ok-ish.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 47

Muttley79

Original post by jneill

https://www.linkedin.com/edu/alumni?id=12691&facets=&keyword=engineering&dateType=attended&startYear=&endYear=&incNoDates=true&start=0&count=10&filters=on&companyCount=3&functionCount=3&unadopted=false&trk=edu-cp-com-CC-title

29,000 ex-Cambridge engineers at:
Google
Arup
BP
Rolls-Royce
Shell
etc
etc

4,500 - if we drill into Mechanical Engineering only
https://www.linkedin.com/edu/alumni?id=12691&facets=&keyword=mechanical%20engineering&dateType=attended&startYear=&endYear=&incNoDates=true&start=0&count=10&filters=on&companyCount=3&functionCount=3&unadopted=false&trk=edu-cp-com-CC-title

Rolls-Royce
Arup
BP
Schlumberger
Jaguar

Looks like they are doing ok-ish.

Could do better though ... and how old are these grads? A very restricted list ...

Things have changed massively in the last five years - I'm not sure Cambridge has - but you won't believe anything I say.

Reply 48

Muttley79

Original post by jneill

For what?

http://www-h.eng.cam.ac.uk/help/software/PackageList

So none of the industry standards - Solidworks, CATIA amongst others.

Reply 49

Doones

Original post by Muttley79

1,900 Mechanical engineers with attendance since 2010 at
https://www.linkedin.com/edu/alumni?id=12691&facets=&keyword=mechanical%20engineering&dateType=attended&startYear=2010&endYear=&incNoDates=false&start=0&count=10&filters=on&companyCount=3&functionCount=3&unadopted=false&trk=edu-cp-com-CC-title
Rolls Royce
Arup
BP
Jaguar
etc

Compare to Bath for the same period
1751 Mech Eng at
https://www.linkedin.com/edu/alumni?id=12686&facets=&keyword=mechanical%20engineering&dateType=attended&startYear=2010&endYear=&incNoDates=false&start=0&count=10&filters=on&trk=ta-chg-school
Rolls Royce
Jaguar
Atkins

Your point is?

Reply 50

Muttley79

Original post by jneill

That's not a proof - who's talking about Bath anyway? I wasn't!

My point is look to other unis, Cambridge is just not the best for Engineering.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 51

Doones

Original post by Muttley79

That's not a proof - who's talking about Bath anyway? I wasn't!

My point is look to other unis, Cambridge is just not the best for Engineering.

The OP was.

Again for Imperial the top employer list for MechEng since 2010 is
https://www.linkedin.com/edu/alumni?id=12598&facets=&keyword=mechanical%20engineering&dateType=attended&startYear=2010&endYear=&incNoDates=false&start=0&count=10&filters=on&trk=ta-chg-school
Rolls Royce
Shell
Jaguar

looks familiar...

Anyway you obviously have a thing against Cambridge - and of course there are many good Engineering unis out there so let's just leave it.

Reply 52

Muttley79

Original post by jneill

I don't have a thing about Cambridge - I send Maths students there every year! Just not the best for Engineering ...

Reply 53

Doones

Original post by Muttley79

I don't have a thing about Cambridge - I send Maths students there every year! Just not the best for Engineering ...

Which employers have stopped hiring from Cambridge?

Reply 54

Muttley79

Original post by jneill

Which employers have stopped hiring from Cambridge?

Not point in continuing as you haven't responded to my software comment.

I didn't say they'd stopped but candidates from other unis were being preferred.

Reply 55

Doones

Original post by Muttley79

Not point in continuing as you haven't responded to my software comment.

I didn't say they'd stopped but candidates from other unis were being preferred.

Like you, I'm not an engineer so I have no direct experience of Solidworks v Creo, or if a student is disadvantaged using either one as an undergrad. I doubt it...

Also Cambridge does use Solidworks too - perhaps that CUED page was old.
http://www-h.eng.cam.ac.uk/help/programs/packages/packages-license-info.html
500 Solidworks licences...

Reply 56

Muttley79

Original post by jneill

Still quite a few missing - CREO is used at A level at my school ...

Lots of jobs look for experience of packages like CATIA that aren't on this list ...

Reply 57

Beelzebob14

Original post by Muttley79

Still quite a few missing - CREO is used at A level at my school ...

Lots of jobs look for experience of packages like CATIA that aren't on this list ...

I'm surprised a top-tier uni like Cambridge doesn't have Autodesk Inventor as standard. It's widely held as basically just the best CAD out there.

Reply 58

Smack

Volunteer Team

Original post by Beelzebob14

It's widely held as basically just the best CAD out there.

No it's not. It depends entirely on what the application is. It's used at my work, although that's mainly because that's what other companies use and hence it's easier to get people experienced with the package when projects come up.