Energy, infrastructure and engineering sector profiles

Do you have a technical mind? Do you enjoy seeing a project through from the research stage to completion and creating tangible end products? If you want to mastermind how things are built, a career in the various sectors in engineering could be perfect for you.

You can explore the jobs in energy and infrastructure, architecture and engineering that are available to you right now.

• Different areas of engineering, energy and infrastructure
• Typical roles in the engineering, energy and infrastructure sectors
• Skills and qualifications
• Salaries
• Key employers
• The application process

The jobs you find in the engineering, energy and infrastructure sectors have a wide range of applications and purposes, but all involve maintaining, designing and generating new structures – such as the buildings we live, work and meet in or the structures we use to transport people, goods or energy. Here are the main sectors in engineering, energy and infrastructure:

Those who work in the energy sector help provide the public with the power that heats their homes, cooks their food and turns on their lights. You could work with renewable energy, including hydroelectric, wind, biomass, geothermal and solar power. Alternatively, you could work with non-renewable energy sources like natural gas, coal, oil and nuclear energy. 

Your job may be designing the systems which generate the energy, making sure to keep to safety regulations, working out new ways of bringing the energy to consumers or even coming up with new ways of making energy. This is particularly relevant, given the ongoing shift from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy.

If you work in one of the engineering sectors, you'll be designing and building new structures and systems – from creating new forms of transport or transport links, to designing new machines to help treat medical conditions in biomedical engineering, to building planes and rockets in aerospace engineering. 

Engineering involves designing new systems and testing them to make sure they work efficiently and are safe, as well as improving systems that are already in place. To work in engineering, you'll need a high level of technical understanding in the particular field that you’re working in, whether it's chemistry or bridge construction.

If you’re interested in engineering, take an in-depth look at the different types of engineering.

When working in architecture, your job focuses on buildings and other structures, making sure these are safe and comply with safety requirements. You may design new buildings or plan improvements to existing structures. You could also have a particular specialism in architecture. For example, you may work with older buildings, making sure that new additions or changes that the owners want to make don’t cause any damage or violate regulations – especially if a building is listed. 

Whereas architecture focuses on the design of structures, property and construction carries out the building of these designs. This field extends from building the structure to selling the finished item. Those working in the sector could specialise in housing – eg. family homes, mansions or flats; commercial buildings, such as retail store or office blocks; production buildings, including factories and warehouses; or public sector buildings like hospitals or schools.

The energy, infrastructure and engineering sectors each have multiple roles on offer. Here are the main career paths in each area:

• Energy engineer. In this role, you'll use your engineering background to design new sources of energy or new sites to produce the energy. You could specialise in either renewable or non-renewable sources of energy.
• Environmental adviser. When working as an environmental adviser in the energy industry, you'll provide valuable insights into the impact of the work on the environment both locally and globally. You'll advise on whether the work complies with environmental regulations and any adjustments that should be made.
• Geologist. As a geologist in the energy sector, your job typically involves locating new sources of natural gas and oil for energy companies to extract. Geology extends beyond non-renewable energy sources, and there is growing demand for geologists working with geothermal energy sources.

Find out more about the types of roles available in energy and infrastructure.

• Mechanical engineer. As a mechanical engineer, you design and build the mechanical parts of any system. You could specialise in car engines, tools, industrial equipment. This job often involves a research element, where you make sure your designs are functional and efficient in a testing phase prior to releasing the project or design.
• Electrical engineer. Electrical engineers design the electrical systems that exist in all items, buildings and systems requiring power. This includes designing the electrical systems in the appliances we use on a daily basis.
• Civil engineer. When working as a civil engineer, you design the infrastructure that the public use on a daily basis, from road systems to water supplies.

Find out what engineering is and the skills and attributes you'll need to get into engineering.

• Architect. Architects design all different kinds of buildings, from university campuses to warehouses. Some architects specialise in residential buildings, and a large part of this area is designing extensions and improvements to existing buildings.
• Contractor. Contractors plan all parts of the building process of all structures. Roles might include working in the technical department making sure all necessary documentation has been approved (eg. planning permission), or overseeing the building process as a site manager, making sure it’s within budget and on time and ensuring the site is safe for all staff working on it.
• Estate agent. Estate agents take on new and existing properties and find buyers for them. In this role, you'll visit properties with clients, providing them with useful information about the site and surrounding area. You act as a middleman between the existing owner and the new buyer.

Working in the engineering, energy and infrastructure industries could see you in a highly specialised area, and having a keen knowledge of the area you work in is important for your job in the industry. Here are the skills and qualifications you need to work in engineering, energy and infrastructure:

• Teamwork. Lots of the work that you do in engineering is on very large systems and networks. Doing the work alone would be time-consuming, so it is typically split among a team. Having great teamwork skills helps you collaborate with your colleagues and make an effective system that works as a whole.
• Critical thinking. You may come across issues with a project, eg. the existing layout not being ideal for the work you’re doing. Being able to think critically helps you deal with the problems you come across and come up with creative solutions.
• Maths. Most work in engineering requires a high level of mathematical knowledge. Along with this, you'll need precision and attention to detail so you can make sure your designs meet requirements without having any faults.

Many of the jobs discussed here require high-level qualifications. Many engineers start their career with an undergraduate degree which has given them a good grounding in the skills required for the job. More specialised jobs in the engineering industry require a master’s degree.

Like engineers, architects need a high level of education and will have an undergraduate degree. To legally call yourself an architect in the UK, you must register with the Architects Registration Board (ARB).

The purpose of the ARB is to make sure that standards of architecture are kept. The ARB website has an easy search tool which anyone can use to find out if an architect is fully registered. This is to protect the public from people claiming to be architects without the necessary qualifications and expertise. 

• Budget management. Many jobs in these sectors require an ability to either manage or estimate a budget. Architects often have to indicate the cost of construction, while those working for contractors manage the budgets they’re given and try not to go beyond the budget limit.
• Attention to detail. Having good attention to detail is important for most jobs in property, construction and architecture. Architects must make sure their designs have enough detail to allow the contractors to create the best building possible. Contractors must make sure the work they’re doing is of a high quality and fits regulatory standards.

Jobs in property and construction often require fewer qualifications than others in these engineering sectors. If you want to be an estate agent, you could get a degree in Business Studies, Estate Management or Property Management. However, you could equally do a diploma in any of these subjects or go into these areas without a degree at all.

Likewise, roles in the offices and sites of contractors and builders typically don’t require degrees. You can complete a relevant diploma, an apprenticeship or an internship to enter the career path.

Since the sector is so diverse, the range of salaries available to you is too.

• Energy engineer. An energy engineer’s salary depends on the level of employment and experience. Your salary could begin at £23,000 and increase to £64,000 per year as you progress in seniority.
• Civil engineer. Similar to energy engineers, the range of salaries is between £28,000 and £51,000 per year depending on seniority.
• Architect. The range of salaries available to you as an architect spans from around £34,000 to over £65,000 per year. This depends on your seniority and the type of architectural work you’re doing.

• Site manager for a contractor. As a contractor, your salary could vary from £30,000 per year in a starting position to £100,000+ per year in a senior role for large or complex projects.
• Estate agent. When working as an estate agent, your salary could be between £22,000 and £40,000 per year depending on seniority, the type of property you’re selling and the geographical location with estate agents in the south eastern area of the country earning more due to higher property prices. Some estate agents can earn over £100,000.

• Shell
• ExxonMobil
• Statkraft
• Max Fordham
• Sheppard Robson
• Balfour Beatty
• Kier Group

Learn about the top firms in the infrastructure sector.

Engineering, energy and infrastructure sector jobs are highly competitive, so a great application will give you the best chance and put you in good standing to get the job. Your application begins with a CV. This CV should include all the relevant work that you’ve done and your education history. If relevant, you can mention the course titles that you completed for your qualifications to give the hiring manager a greater understanding of your expertise. If you completed relevant assignments, you can mention them here too. 

When mentioning previous work in your CV, you should include your achievements from the job. Your CV should be tailored to the job you’re applying for, so you should make your achievements relevant to that job.

Your cover letter should be tailored to the job too. This is your chance to sell your skills and expertise to the recruiter. You should use the information from the job description. If they want someone with research skills, show them you have that!

If your CV and cover letter interest your employer, they'll invite you to have an interview. In order to have a great interview, you should really understand the job. But don’t worry – if there are parts of the job description that you don’t understand, just ask!

In fact, preparing questions to ask in the interview makes you look well-prepared and interested in the job. You might want to prepare yourself for the types of questions that hiring managers ask in interviews.

If you’re applying for jobs in architecture, your application will often include showing off your portfolio. A portfolio is a collection of your work and your ideas to show a prospective employer your style and potential. While you typically submit your portfolio with your initial application, you'll also talk through your portfolio in the interview, discussing your reasoning behind your designs and what you want to achieve in future work. 

Want to work in energy and infrastructure? Read this guide to energy and infrastructure graduate schemes.