Your day-to-day duties may include:

• planning and design – using CAD software to draw up plans, showing the measurements and layout of projects
• fabrication and assembly – cutting and welding pipework, and putting up the steel columns and beams of a building's framework
• fitting and maintenance – installing and servicing equipment in factories and industrial sites, like conveyor lines
• inspection and testing – checking for faults in machinery, and testing newly installed systems

You may need to wear safety clothing and use safety equipment.

You could work in an office or on a construction site.

Your working environment may be physically demanding and you may spend nights away from home.

With experience, you could progress to site management jobs or specialise in particular areas, like engineering design, testing or procurement.

You might also take further training to qualify as an engineer.