I'm 3 months into a new job in aerospace, which is not as advertised. It was sold as being a materials technical authority role , however I am essentially working as a quality engineer. There's plenty of work to be done but quality engineering isn't a passion of mine.
I've been approached by an F1 team and an automotive T1 supplier. Both roles are materials focused.
Am I daft to move from aerospace, which seems very stable in UK, to automotive which looks a shambles at present?
Yes and no.F1 does become tiresome
submersibles seems to be pretty steady
On the flip side maybe do the F1 for a bit as it will probably be possible to get back to aero later on.
F1 (depending on size of team & sponsors) prob be the best bet with brexit going on.
I think it be the less effected if trade Tariffs come in with Europe.
don't see many F1 cars been sold to the public......
Obvious concern with F1 would be that they might bring in budget caps in the next few years, so the big teams will have to shed staff huge numbers of staff. The small teams won't, but they are constantly in financial turmoil so not clear how stable employment will be over the next few years, especially if there is a recession and sponsors cut back their advertising budgets. Williams especially, but also Sauber and Force India could easily enough disappear within a few years.
In the modern world, even what looks like the safest job can turn to dust in a couple of years. So if it looks safe for a couple of years, that is all anyone can realistically expect.
Would you rather spend 2 years doing something you don't want, or something you do want.
16 years in aviation was enough for me, eventually got pissed off with the cost cutting, now in Pharma, and wouldn't go back.
go for it and enjoy yourself again.
I think you’ll find it’s engineering that’s is not as advertised, or at least engineering for a big company weighing a big and highly regulated industry. I’m an engineer in aerospace and spent the first 8 or so years of my career in a core engineering role and got disenchanted by it, I now work in a different function. The romantic image of actually doing novel and creative cutting edge design work is not really a reality, and indon’t Think you’ll find the automotive industry much different. It’s all about working to procedures and the numbers. F1 might be, the product lifecyclea are a lot shorter, not as regulated so working with higher tech technoogy. Best to talk to people already on those industries or roles you’re looking at.
Aerospace’s is not necessarily a stable industry, it’s project based and relays on a constant flow of new projects coming up, if there is a gap then people are laid off. It might be ‘booming’ now but it hasn’T always been and in my 22 year career in aerospace i’ve gone through more redundancy programmes I care to mention. Luckily i’ve never been made redundant, but I can only dodge the bullet so many times. Feels like a case of when not if I’m all likelihood.
Just spent the best part of 20 years in the defence and aerospace sector - as wobbliscott says, it relies on a steady flow of new projects and if you aren't prepared to move jobs, then you'll probably end up being made redundant at some point - I had about 6 jobs, made one company move, dodged the redundancy bullet about 3 times before it caught up with me. On the military air side, with no big new 'platform' development programme on the horizon and apart from everyone scrapping for UCAS/UAS work there's probably over-capacity. The problem with auto manufacture is the big 'B' and now that 'no deal' contingency plans are being put in place the damage is going to be done, regardless of the final outcome. F1 might prove to more resistant, but they work their people hard
got pissed off with the cost cutting, now in Pharma, and wouldn’t go back
Hah!
Not got a clue why anyone good at maths would want to enter the pharma industry.
I can't wait to get out.
IANAE but have worked in F1
For a materials type I would think F1 would be a great punt for a while. Got the more exotic materials to play with and makes the weekends slightly more interesting if they still offer a bonus for each constructors point.
As mentioned it can be a tough gig if your associated with the race team in any way. But F1 is an amazing thing to be involved in. I only stopped because of the travel.
If you've ever wanted to work in F1 I'd think that would be the one to go for. If you don't what are the chances of getting in coming up again?
Combine the two and build flying cars!!!
With the right driver they already fly 😁.