How to start and grow your engineering career

Engineering has long been one of the most sought-after career paths: well-respected, well-paid, and constantly in demand. But the landscape is evolving rapidly, and understanding how to navigate this dynamic field has never been more important.

In our recent webinar, "Engineering Career Accelerator: Unlock Your Next Opportunity with Industry Leaders" we brought together three exceptional engineering leaders who shared candid insights about breaking into the field, progressing your career, and thriving in this exciting industry:

• Sherry Yang: Engineering Manager at Venue.sh and part of the Adaptivist Group, specialising in DevOps platforms and cloud infrastructure
• Anna Roach-Yearley: Japan Domain Team Lead at BAE Systems, with expertise in systems engineering and user interface design across the aerospace and defense sectors
• Maya Ravenscroft: Head of Software Simulation Software at MBDA UK, leading engineering innovation in advanced missile and air defense systems

Their collective message was clear: engineering is more accessible, more diverse, and more exciting than ever before. Here's what you need to know.

This blog covers:

• Alternative pathways into engineering beyond traditional degrees, including apprenticeships, self-taught routes, and career transition programmes
• Why skills and behaviours now matter more than qualifications in engineering recruitment
• Practical advice on CVs, applications, and overcoming barriers from hiring managers at MBDA, BAE Systems, and Adaptivist Group
• Career progression strategies for both technical specialist and management tracks in engineering

The changing landscape of engineering

It's not just about degrees anymore

One of the most significant shifts in engineering is the move toward a skills-based approach to hiring and career development. While engineering degrees remain valuable, they're no longer the only pathway into the field.

Anna from BAE Systems explains: "While engineering degrees are still super valuable, there are other options now in terms of getting into engineering. Whether that's a degree apprenticeship or even people in their second or third careers moving into engineering from slightly different sectors. For us it's more about your behaviors, any transferable skills you've got, and openness to change and improvement and working together with teams."

This shift opens doors for career changers, self-taught developers, and people from non-traditional backgrounds who bring fresh perspectives and valuable transferable skills.

The AI revolution in engineering

You can't talk about the future of engineering without addressing AI. As Sherry Yang points out: "AI is here to stay. The skill set is very technical in terms of becoming an expert. That engineering degree, software engineering, computer science is very valuable in the industry right now because you understand the metal, you understand the hardware and the software together."

However, AI isn't replacing engineers: it's becoming another tool in their toolkit. "Generative AI specifically is an additional tool to help you be a better engineer, be a better programmer, coder, whatever it is that you align yourself with," Sherry explains.

Diversity is finally being Prioritised

Organisations are actively working to increase diversity in engineering teams through partnerships with programs like Code First Girls, STEM Returners, and veteran recruitment initiatives. Maya Ravenscroft shares: "We've partnered with Code First Girls and we have apprentice code first girls that actually join software and other parts of engineering and it's worked really well."

The industry recognises that diverse teams create more innovative solutions and build more resilient organisations.

What does "Engineering" really mean?

Before we talk about career advice, it's worth understanding the breadth of engineering roles. The panelists offered compelling definitions:

Sherry  distinguishes between traditional "heavy duty" engineering (pipelines, civil, chemical) and what she calls "invisible engineering": software, infrastructure, and architecture that powers digital solutions.

Anna takes a product-focused view: "I think about it as you're building a product. Whether that's a tangible thing that you could hold or see or app-based software, at the end of the day it's a product that you're building. I also think it's about problem solving. If you do problem solving, you could probably define yourself as an engineer."

Maya emphasises the complexity and collaboration: "Engineering is about solving complex problems, complicated problems. It's about collaboration with your stakeholders. Building a product that's built to last. It's engineering at the heart of what the company does but also innovative solutions that can be solved via software and hardware going together."

The common thread? Engineering is about curiosity, problem-solving, and continuous learning.

Breaking Into engineering: alternative pathways

Apprenticeships and learn-while-you-earn programs

All three panelists highlighted apprenticeship programs as excellent alternatives to traditional university routes. These programs allow you to earn while learning, gain practical experience, and avoid accumulating student debt.

Maya explains: "At MBDA, we have degree apprentices so you're learning while you're earning. We also support initiatives like Code First Girls. So these are for people that had career breaks or looking to do something different to what they've done before. We've had people in our organisation come from the teaching profession and then moved to software engineering."

STEM returners programs

For those who've taken career breaks, STEM Returners programs provide structured support to transition back into technical fields. Anna notes: "That's a scheme for people who are maybe in their second or third careers and want to transition or have maybe worked in STEM, taken a career break and want to come back."

Self-taught and bootcamp routes

With AI and online resources, self-teaching has never been more accessible. Sherry emphasises: "I didn't have a computer science degree. I don't have one and I don't think I'm about to get one anytime soon. That self-taught curiosity, that problem-solving skill set needs to be ingrained in your head to keep the career going."

She recommends: "You have AI, you have generative AI to help you study, to help you answer questions. Utilise these tools to better fill up your curiosity with the right language."

No age limits

Concerned about being "too old" to start? Don't be. Anna confirms: "For us, we don't have an upper age limit. Obviously there's a lower age limit but there's no upper age limit for the apprenticeship schemes."

Essential skills that set you apart

Technical skills matter (but so do other things)

While technical knowledge is important, the panelists emphasised that success in engineering requires a broader skill set:

Communication skills: Sherry stresses that engineers must bridge the gap between technical solutions and user needs: "Engineering can solve problems but doesn't mean that we can communicate how to use or how to engage with people who need them. Bringing communication from a previous career or previous professional life is really important."

Curiosity and continuous Learning: "Curiosity is really important and learning new technology. This sector is such a fast-moving point where there's new innovation happening pretty much every year. As engineers, it should be part of our personality or our responsibility to keep learning, to keep curious," says Sherry.

Problem-solving mindset: The ability to approach complex challenges systematically and creatively is fundamental to engineering success.

Collaboration and teamwork: Anna highlights: "Being able to bring a team together, whether you're the team leader or not, being able to work well with people and get the most out of people is always going to be really valuable."

Adaptability: Being open-minded, brave, asking questions, and challenging assumptions are crucial skills in a rapidly evolving field.

Transferable skills from other industries

If you're coming from a non-engineering background, you likely have valuable skills to offer:

• Customer understanding and user experience insights
• Cross-functional collaboration experience
• Communication with non-technical stakeholders
• Project management and organisation
• Strategic thinking and seeing the bigger picture

As Sherry notes: "For career changers, you have such a skill that some of the engineers who only know how to engineer don't have. Bring that cross-industry skill set into tech."

Navigating your engineering career

You don't need a 50-year plan

Maya's career journey offers reassurance for those who feel pressure to have everything mapped out: "From a personal experience, I would say I've never planned my career. I've fallen into things. I started off in chemical engineering, worked in the chemical industry, got into modeling, became a team leader, progressed to a project leader, a group leader, and now find myself as a head of department. I don't think I planned anything as such, but I've kept wanting to know more, to grow as a person."

Her advice? "Your career is your own. You own that career. And having that mindset that's important to me: that you own your career and you decide what you want to really do."

Individual contributor vs. management paths

A common concern is whether you need to move into management to advance. The answer is a resounding no.

Anna explains: "For us both are possible. You could go down the management route or you could become a specialist and progress your career that way. I wouldn't say that you have to follow one or the other."

Sherry adds: "I know a whole list of principal engineers and staff engineers and they are amazing. They're experts in their field. People often feel the pressure that 'I need to move into a manager role because that is career progression.' But that's not true. You can still be an expert and still be a leader within the product, within the solution, within the technology."

The squiggly career

Anna recommends the book "The Squiggly Career," noting that career paths don't have to be linear. "You can definitely flip-flop between them. Just take it bit by bit, taking on a little bit more responsibility and accountability and seeing how you get on and seeing if you enjoy it."

Sherry shares her own experience: "I decided to become an individual contributor again because I want to know more about the technology. It's considered as a pivot but not really—it's more of a refresher. Let me get better at these technical technologies that are being used in this company first and then I can showcase my leadership skill."

Crafting a CV for an engineering role 

All three panelists emphasised keeping CVs short and impactful:

Keep it to two pages maximum: Maya confirms: "We're looking for a short, succinct CV that highlights people's best attributes and skills. There is research that shows that recruiters don't look at your CV for more than seven seconds."

Tailor it to the role: Anna advises: "Tailor it for the job that you're applying for. Make sure that relevant experience is brought out for that job and put the most important information at the top."

Show impact with numbers: Sherry stresses: "Numbers provide impact level—what did you do in this project in terms of your actual contribution? I don't think just the skill sets that you have is great to list them all, but then you need to word these skill sets into what it applies to and how it impacts the company. What kind of value did you bring?"

Overcoming common challenges

Demonstrating your ability to learn

For career changers concerned about competing with fresh graduates, Sherry offers this advice: "There's a reason why companies are looking for young graduates—they have the learning ability. If you are interviewing and competing with 20-something-year-old fresh grads, I would encourage you to showcase more of your ability to learn. They want fresh minds to absorb as much information as possible. When you're experienced and in a mature age, you don't usually showcase that ability to absorb fast and provide ROI for them. You need to let them know: I'm here to help and here are the qualities I have."

Building technical knowledge

For those coming from non-technical backgrounds, the panelists shared practical strategies:

Use AI as a learning tool: Type into ChatGPT "I want to become an engineer. Please help me find a syllabus of what I should read and what I should focus on."

Learn on the job: As one participant shared, they use AI during standups to look up unfamiliar terms, then spend time after meetings researching concepts like APIs, programming languages, or technical frameworks.

Be honest about what you don't know: Anna's approach when joining a new technical role: "For me, it's just been kind of holding my hands up and going, I'm going to need your help here. I've got skills I can bring to the team, but for this specific area, I'm going to need some time to learn and I'm going to need your support. Being candid—people respond to that because you're not trying to pull the wool over their eyes."

The right language to learn

When asked what programming language to start with, Sherry offers this wisdom: "I'm in shock because there are a variety of languages you can pick from. It depends on what angle we're talking about, and what industry. I would always counter-ask: what problem are you trying to solve? Because I'm not just going to give you a language. There is no language that is for everything."

Breaking down barriers: myths about engineering

Myth: you need to be an expert

Sherry tackles this head-on: "Engineering doesn't have the answer for everything. We can find out. It's okay to say 'let me take a look at this and then we'll get back to you.' And also bring the experts into the conversation. Just let the engineering team deal with it—but that's not often the solution. The solution is actually having everybody who understands the context, bring them into the conversation and problem-solve together."

Myth: engineering is only for Rocket Scientists

Maya addresses this misconception about defense companies: "The biggest myth at our company was you have to be a rocket scientist. No, we accept people from all backgrounds. Diversity of thought is really important, encouraged even. Just apply—you never know. You won't know until you apply."

Myth: you need to know everything on day one

The reality is that engineering is about continuous learning. Maya emphasises: "I truly believe I don't know everything. I'm usually one of the people that don't know that much, but I have a really good support network behind me that are able to take that forward."

The value of behaviours over qualifications

Throughout the conversation, all three panelists emphasised that how you work matters as much as what you know:

Integrity: Maya notes: "I value behaviours within a colleague. Things like the integrity of somebody, teamwork, collaboration—all these things are things that you take forward in your role."

Openness to Learning: Being willing to admit what you don't know and actively seek knowledge is more valuable than pretending to be an expert.

Collaboration: The ability to work well with others and bring out the best in your team is crucial at every level.

Resilience and Adaptability: In a fast-moving field, being comfortable with change and uncertainty is essential.

Your action plan: getting started today

Based on the webinar insights, here are practical steps you can take right now:

1. Start learning: Use AI tools like ChatGPT to create a personalised learning plan for the specific area of engineering that interests you.
2. Build something: Start a side project, even a simple one. This will demonstrate your problem-solving abilities and willingness to learn.
3. Network and research: Follow companies you're interested in on Flexa and other platforms to understand their culture and opportunities.
4. Apply broadly: Don't self-select out of opportunities. If you meet 60-70% of the requirements and the role excites you, apply.
5. Highlight transferable skills: If you're coming from another field, emphasise your communication, collaboration, and industry-specific knowledge.
6. Seek feedback: If you don't get a role, ask for feedback on how you can improve for next time.
7. Consider alternative routes: Look into apprenticeships, bootcamps, and returner programs if traditional education paths don't work for you.
8. Stay curious: Make continuous learning part of your daily routine, even if it's just 15 minutes of exploring a new concept.

Engineering is no longer an exclusive club requiring specific credentials and following a rigid career path. It's an exciting, dynamic field open to curious problem-solvers from all backgrounds, at all stages of their careers.

As Maya beautifully summarises: "You have to enjoy what you do and have that sense of integrity, collaboration, teamwork. If you put all that together, keep things simple, then that's the way forward. Everybody's career journey is unique. It's tailored to that person and that situation that they're in."

Whether you're a fresh graduate, a career changer, or someone returning to work after a break, there's a place for you in engineering. The question isn't whether you're qualified enough. It's whether you're curious and committed enough to take the next step.

The future of engineering needs diverse perspectives, fresh thinking, and people who bring more than just technical skills to the table. It needs people who can communicate, collaborate, and continuously adapt.

It needs you.

Frequently asked questions about engineering careers

1. Do I need a computer science degree to become an engineer?

No. While engineering degrees remain valuable, there are now multiple pathways into engineering including apprenticeships, bootcamps, self-teaching, and career transition programs. Companies increasingly focus on skills, behaviors, and potential to learn rather than specific qualifications. As Sherry Yang notes, "I didn't have a computer science degree. I don't have one and I don't think I'm about to get one anytime soon."

2. What programming language should I learn first?

There's no single "best" language—it depends on what problems you want to solve and what industry you're interested in. As Sherry explains, "There's a variety of things that you can pick from. It depends on what angle we're talking about, and what industry. I would always counter-ask: "What problem are you trying to solve?"

3. Am I too old to switch careers into engineering?

No. Companies like BAE Systems, MBDA, and Adaptivist don't have upper age limits for their programs. Anna confirms: "For us, we don't have an upper age limit for apprenticeship schemes." Focus on showcasing your ability to learn quickly and the valuable transferable skills you bring from your previous career.

4. How can I gain experience if I can't get hired without experience?

Start by building side projects that demonstrate your problem-solving abilities, contribute to open-source projects, take on small freelance work, or create a portfolio of personal projects. Use AI tools to help you learn and build. As Sherry advises, even without real statistics, "you can share what kind of impact and what kind of purpose that you're bringing into the space."

5. Do I need to become a manager to progress in my engineering career?

No. Both technical specialist and management tracks offer excellent career progression. Sherry explains: "You can still be an expert and still be a leader within the product, within the solution, within the technology to be in an advanced role." Many companies have principal engineer and staff engineer positions that are leadership roles without people management responsibilities.

6. What if I don't have all the qualifications listed in a job description?

Apply anyway, especially if you meet 60-70% of the requirements. Anna notes: "Women will only apply to a job if they meet 100% of the things listed, whereas men will hit 65-70% and give it a go anyway." Many companies are actively rewording job descriptions to encourage applications from people who don't tick every box.

7. How do I transition from a non-technical role into engineering?

Focus on highlighting your transferable skills like communication, problem-solving, project management, and domain expertise. Start learning technical skills on the side using free resources and AI tools. Look for roles that bridge your current expertise with technical skills, and be transparent about your willingness to learn.

8. What should I include on my engineering CV?

Keep it to two pages maximum, tailor it to each role, and quantify your impact with numbers wherever possible. Focus on what value you brought rather than just listing skills. Put the most important information at the top. For new graduates, highlight relevant projects and the problems they solved.

9. How important is AI knowledge for engineering careers?

AI is becoming increasingly important across all engineering disciplines. Sherry emphasises: "AI is here to stay. Generative AI specifically is an additional tool to help you be a better engineer." However, you don't need to be an AI expert to start—focus on learning how to use AI tools to enhance your work.

10. What's the best way to learn technical concepts when working with engineers?

Be honest about what you don't know, ask questions, and use resources like ChatGPT to look up unfamiliar terms. Anna's advice: "Hold your hands up and say, 'I'm going to need your help here. I've got skills I can bring to the team, but for this specific area, I'm going to need some time to learn.'" People respond positively to willingness to learn.

11. How do I stand out when applying for engineering roles?

Beyond a strong, tailored CV, consider including a personalised cover letter explaining why you're interested in the specific role and company. If relevant, include a portfolio showcasing projects or work examples. Most importantly, demonstrate your curiosity, problem-solving abilities, and willingness to learn.

12. Is the engineering job market competitive right now?

While engineering remains in high demand, the market varies by location, specialisation, and seniority level. Focus on building strong foundational skills, staying current with industry trends (especially AI), and highlighting both your technical abilities and soft skills like communication and collaboration.