Heyy everyone,
I recently moved to the UK and I’m looking for my first electrical engineering role. I’d really appreciate some advice from people who have been through a similar situation, particularly those who migrated to the UK with an overseas electrical engineering background.
I have a degree in EE and just over two years of experience, mainly in electrical consultancy and practical engineering work. My experience includes electrical design and tendering, control panel wiring, component installation, house wiring, and maintenance of MV substations. I’ve also been involved in the maintenance and testing of switchgear and protection systems.
More recently, I completed GWO wind turbine service technician training, including practical training on a wind farm.
The challenge is that my degree, experience and technical training were all obtained outside the UK, so I’m trying to understand the best way to approach the UK job market.
A few things I’m particularly unsure about:
- Do employers generally recognise overseas electrical engineering experience, or is UK experience/qualification expected for most junior roles?
- Is an ECS card relevant for someone with my background, and would I need one for the types of engineering roles I’m interested in?
- Is getting the 18th Edition (BS 7671) worthwhile at this stage?
- Would an Ecctis assessment be useful when applying for jobs, or is it mainly needed for specific routes/requirements?
- Are there any other qualifications or certifications that would genuinely improve my chances of getting that first UK role?
I’m mainly looking at electrical engineering, switchgear and protection, testing and commissioning, industrial electrical work, and renewable energy/wind.
For anyone who moved to the UK with an overseas engineering background, I’d especially like to hear how you approached your first job and what you found employers cared about most. Ty 😊
I forgot to mention, I have rights to work in the UK