Careers & university
Design, engineering and construction careers
Where could Design & Manufacture, Graphic Communication, Engineering Science, Practical Woodworking or Creative Thinking take you? Choose a career to see what the job involves, which school subjects help and how to get in from school in Scotland.
Find careers that match your subjects →
Design
- Product designerDesigns everyday products, from furniture and kitchenware to medical devices, balancing how they look, work…
- Product design engineerCombines design and engineering: makes sure a product looks good and also works, is strong enough and can be…
- Graphic designerCommunicates ideas visually: branding, packaging, posters, websites, signage and infographics.
- UX / UI designerDesigns how apps and websites work and feel, so they are easy and enjoyable to use.
- Furniture designer-makerDesigns and builds furniture, often as a one-off or small batch for clients.
- Interior / exhibition designerPlans the inside of spaces, such as shops, museums, offices and homes, including layout, lighting, materials…
- Jewellery designerDesigns and makes jewellery and small metal objects, by hand or with CAD and 3D printing.
Engineering
- CAD technician / design engineerTurns engineers' and designers' ideas into accurate 3D models and drawings that can be manufactured or built.
- Mechanical engineerDesigns and develops machines and moving parts, from engines and wind turbines to medical equipment.
- Civil engineerPlans and designs roads, bridges, railways, water and flood defences, and manages them being built.
- Structural engineerMakes sure buildings and bridges stand up safely, calculating the loads and choosing materials and sizes.
- Electrical / electronic engineerDesigns power systems, circuits and control systems, from the national grid to the electronics in phones and…
- Robotics / mechatronics engineerBuilds systems that combine mechanics, electronics and software, such as robots, drones and automated…
- Aerospace engineerDesigns and tests aircraft, satellites and their parts.
- Renewable energy engineerDesigns, builds and maintains wind, tidal, solar and hydrogen energy systems: a big growth area in Scotland.
- Manufacturing engineerWorks out the best way to make products in quantity: quickly, accurately and with little waste.
- Environmental engineerReduces the impact of engineering on air, water and land, including pollution control, recycling and flood…
Buildings & construction
- ArchitectDesigns buildings and spaces that are beautiful, practical and sustainable, and leads the design team.
- Architectural technologistThe technical expert on a building design: details how it will be built, chooses materials and makes sure it…
- Quantity surveyorManages the costs of building projects, from first estimates to final accounts.
- Construction project managerRuns building projects on site, managing people, safety, time and money.
Making & trades
- Joiner / carpenterMakes and fits doors, windows, stairs, roofs and kitchens on site or in a workshop.
- Fabricator / welderCuts, shapes and joins metal to build structures, vehicles, ships and offshore equipment.
- CNC machinist / engineering technicianSets up and runs CNC lathes and milling machines to make precise parts.
- Model maker / prop makerBuilds models and props for architects, designers, museums, film, theatre and TV.