I have currently just finished my second year of my BEng Electrical Engineering degree and have been accepted onto a year long industrial placement which is due to start late August/early September. However I am a mature student and I am nearly 25 would the extra year be better spent doing a masters degree as I aim to become chartered or would employers prefer the experience that the year in industry provides?

Before going to university I did complete an apprenticeship and became a qualified electrician and have several years work experience in this field. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Is your industrial placement with a well recognised company with a structured training program (rather than a company just looking for some cheap labour)? The industrial placement has the advantage of work experience as well as providing you with some income. Also they may offer you a permanent job later on.

When you are asking about doing a masters degree, I am assuming you mean taking an MSc (or equivalent) after you have got your BEng rather than the choice between BEng / MEng course. In the case of the additional MSc, you may also want to consider your personal finances as you will need to fund the MSc yourself and on a full time course you will unlikely have a source of income other than from part-time jobs.

On getting industrial experience... You can also apply for placement schemes that only run through your summer holidays.

Not sure if I have been helpful but good luck in your chosen route.

Jason.

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Jason Wong
Technical Consultant and Founder
XTRONTEC - Embedded Systems and Software

www.xtrontec.com
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I would say year in industry rather than Master's every time, unless you want to go into research. If you don't have industrial experience at around graduate level you will find it incredibly difficult to get work - as many postings on these forums show.

Have a look at job adverts to see what employers are looking for in your preferred fields, in most engineering roles I think you'll find they want first degree + experience.

Don't worry too much about chartership, you should still be able to get that given the right experience once you start working - in any case it's far more important to get a job than to get chartered!!!

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Andy Millar CEng MIET MCMI

http://www.linkedin.com/in/millarandy