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<p>When you say the word engineer, many people will think of a man, as the industry has been dominated by men for much of its history. But women have been designing, iterating, and engineering for just as long as men have, creating some of the most valuable and widely used products and inventions ever made, many of which have saved lives, and changed the world.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>&nbsp;</h2>
<h2>Famous women in engineering history&nbsp;</h2>
<h3>Ada Lovelace&nbsp;</h3>
<p>One of the most famous women in engineering history, Ada Lovelace&rsquo;s pioneering work laid the foundation for all modern computers. The daughter of famous poet Lord Byron, her mother kept her away from poetry and the arts, encouraging her to pursue the sciences. &nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;During the early 1800s Lovelace developed an interest in the Difference Engine, a mechanical calculator developed by mathematician Charles Babbage.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;They collaborated together on a new, more complex machine, the Analytical Engine. It was designed, but never built. It was the first instance of a machine that would have been capable of modifying its own calculations while it was running.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;While Babbage designed the machine, Lovelace played a vital role in designing the various functions, and can be thought of as one of the first software developers.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Hedy Lemarr&nbsp;</h3>
<p>&nbsp;Hedy Lemarr was one of the most famous actresses of the 1930s and 40s. When not acting, she worked on engineering projects as a hobby, often in between takes on film sets. Her love of science came from her father, who would explain to her how various machines worked while out on walks together.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>She devised a method of encrypting radio signals to prevent enemy spies listening to what was being broadcast. &ldquo;Frequency hopping&rdquo; allowed for rapid switching between radio frequencies in order to avoid a signal being jammed. By manipulating radio frequencies between transmission and reception, her technique formed a code that prevented secret messages from being intercepted by the Germans.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;The technology wasn&rsquo;t widely used until the invention of wi-fi and Bluetooth, but without it, there would be no wireless communication today.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;Lamarr had to fight to be taken seriously, given her profession as an actress. Frequently labelled &lsquo;the most beautiful woman in the world&rsquo;, audiences allegedly gasped when she first appeared on screen. But her invention changed the course of history, and is one of the many reasons she is remembered today.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Stephanie Kwolek&nbsp;</h3>
<p>Kevlar is one of the most widely used materials in the construction of body armours in the&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/tag/engineering-defence">defence sector</a>. It was invented by Kwolek in the 1960s, while looking for an alternative substance to manufacture car tyres. She was working as a chemist at the DuPont factory in Delaware, where she carried out research on polymers.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Her discovery of the material was made by accident, and it was almost thrown away. But Kwolek ran the substance through a spinneret, and found it did not break, meaning it could have a wide variety of uses.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Kevlar is five times stronger than steel by weight, and is now used in the creation of bulletproof vests. Since its invention it has saved thousands of lives.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Because of its incredibly high tensile strength, Kevlar is also used in bow strings, tennis racquets, racing boats, and&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/tag/f1-automotive">formula one cars</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Mary Anderson&nbsp;</h3>
<p>On a cold day in 1902, Mary Anderson was riding in a tram car, and noticed that the driver kept both panes of the double front window open so snow and sleet wouldn&rsquo;t pile up onto it and block his view. But this meant the rest of the tram was cold and open to the elements.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Realising there was an opportunity, Anderson worked with a designer to develop a hand-operated device to clear the windscreen from inside the tram. It consisted of a lever connected to a rubber blade outside which could clear snow, preventing it from covering the window.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>She patented her invention in 1903, but few car makers were interested until 1917, when another woman, Charlotte Bridgwood, patented the first automatic windscreen wiper, which is now a standard feature on every car in the world.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Martha Coston&nbsp;</h3>
<p>&nbsp;Martha Coston invented the first signal flares, which have gone on to be used by the military, navy, and rescue operations all over the world. &nbsp;</p>
<p>At the age of 21, Coston was left a widow with four children to support. In desperate need of a way to support her family, she discovered a design for a pyrotechnic flare that her late husband had left behind in his notebook, and set about creating it for real.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>For nearly 10 years she worked on perfecting the design, which needed to be bright, multi-coloured, and long-lasting if they were to be effective tools for communication over long distance, at night, and in high winds at sea.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>She succeeded, and achieved a patent in 1859, with the US Navy paying her $20,000 for the rights to the flares. This was a large sum for women at that time, and a testament to the quality of her work.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>These women changed the engineering industry, and inspired many other women to enter the field.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Read more about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/why-we-need-more-women-in-stem-roles">why we need more women in STEM roles</a>, or learn about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/5-best-remote-engineering-roles">5 of the best remote engineering roles</a>.&nbsp;</p>

5 Women in Engineering and How They Changed the Industry

<h2><strong>How can we attract the female engineers needed to advance the engineering industry?</strong></h2>
<p>VHR are delighted to present our research white paper on How to Get More Women into Engineering.</p>
<p>The white paper features the experiences of Gemma Hatton, Deputy Editor of Race car Engineering magazine and former Formula 1 Trackside Tyre Engineer at Pirelli and Manor Racing, and the expertise of VHR's Engineering Specialist Conor McKeon.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5979" src="https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/How-to-Get-More-Women-into-Engineering-White-Paper.png?width=489&amp;name=How-to-Get-More-Women-into-Engineering-White-Paper.png" sizes="(max-width: 489px) 100vw, 489px" srcset="https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/How-to-Get-More-Women-into-Engineering-White-Paper.png?width=245&amp;name=How-to-Get-More-Women-into-Engineering-White-Paper.png 245w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/How-to-Get-More-Women-into-Engineering-White-Paper.png?width=489&amp;name=How-to-Get-More-Women-into-Engineering-White-Paper.png 489w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/How-to-Get-More-Women-into-Engineering-White-Paper.png?width=734&amp;name=How-to-Get-More-Women-into-Engineering-White-Paper.png 734w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/How-to-Get-More-Women-into-Engineering-White-Paper.png?width=978&amp;name=How-to-Get-More-Women-into-Engineering-White-Paper.png 978w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/How-to-Get-More-Women-into-Engineering-White-Paper.png?width=1223&amp;name=How-to-Get-More-Women-into-Engineering-White-Paper.png 1223w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/How-to-Get-More-Women-into-Engineering-White-Paper.png?width=1467&amp;name=How-to-Get-More-Women-into-Engineering-White-Paper.png 1467w" alt="How to Get More Women into Engineering White Paper" width="489"></p>
<p>Download the free whitepaper&nbsp;<a href="https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/3329963/Imported_Blog_Media/How-to-Get-More-Women-into-Engineering-White-Paper.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p>
<p>Since 2022, up to 85% of engineering enterprises have observed the significant repercussions of skill shortages. Following the onset of the pandemic in the same year, over 200,000 construction engineers have exited the sector.</p>
<p>With the current lack of women in engineering roles, combined with a recent McKinsey report revealing that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/why-diversity-matters" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>gender-diverse companies are 15% more likely to outperform their competitors</u></a>, engineering leaders can solve skills shortages and achieve business growth by attracting and retaining female engineers.</p>
<p>Specifically designed to help engineering leaders attract more talent into the industry, the white paper on How to Get More Women into Engineering covers research and analysis of the following topics:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>How Engineering Companies Can Get More Women into Engineering</p>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Shortage of Women in Engineering &ndash; Is it Really that Bad?</p>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Why Should We Care about Getting Women into Engineering?</p>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>
<p>What&rsquo;s it Like Being a Female Engineer?</p>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Shortage of Women in Engineering Roles: The Reason</p>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>
<p>The Solution to the Engineering Skills Shortage</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Download the How to Get More Women into Engineering white paper&nbsp;<a href="https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/3329963/Imported_Blog_Media/How-to-Get-More-Women-into-Engineering-White-Paper.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>here</u></a>.</p>
<p>Find out more about the&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/women-engineering-smashing-stereotypes-stem" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>Shortage of Women in Engineering</u></a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="http://v-hr.com/news/blog/precision-engineering-skills-shortage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>UK Engineering Skills Shortage</u></a>.</p>

White Paper: How to Get More Women into Engineering

<p>Every year, millions of people around the world choose to study engineering to pursue a career in the industry.</p>
<p>Engineering branches across many different fields and disciplines. Engineers build bridges, cars, buildings, artificial limbs, and wind turbines to name just a few. Whatever you&rsquo;re interested in, there&rsquo;s a career in engineering you can explore.</p>
<p>In this blog, we look at what makes the engineering industry so attractive, and what you can expect from a career in engineering.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>What makes the engineering industry so popular?</h2>
<h3>Employability</h3>
<p>One of the strongest reasons to become an engineer is because of the high levels of employability in the field.</p>
<p>While it isn&rsquo;t easy to just walk into an engineering job, if you have the training and experience, you can be reasonably sure that you will be able to find a job at the right level for you, where you can develop skills while working on something of real value.</p>
<p>With every country in the world looking to develop and grow, there is a higher demand for engineers than ever before. This shortage of engineers drives up demand, which in turn drives up salaries, our next point on this list.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>High salary</h3>
<p>One of the main factors you need to consider about any career is how much you can expect to make from it. Engineering is one of the most well-paid fields in the world, across all levels of the industry. Whether you&rsquo;re building cars, designing planes, or capturing data, you can expect a strong salary compared to other sectors.</p>
<p>In the UK, graduates can earn up to &pound;30,000 in entry-level jobs after training. The average salary for an engineer can range from &pound;35,000-&pound;50,000 depending on the specific field, and can climb over &pound;70,000 and higher at top level.</p>
<p>But money isn&rsquo;t everything. If you want to feel like your work has real value, engineering has that too.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>High levels of job satisfaction</h3>
<p>Engineering is an industry where you get to know that your work objectively makes a difference. Engineers bring real solutions to real problems. Building things, making things work, making things better, faster, or more efficient, these are incredibly motivating and satisfying elements to any job, that allow engineers to feel proud at the end of the day.</p>
<p>Many engineers say that the job satisfaction is the best part of their job, and job satisfaction is one of the most important elements in any job you can have.</p>
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h3>You get to be creative</h3>
<p>First and foremost, engineers are problem solvers, and problems often require creative solutions.</p>
<p>Engineering allows for creativity at almost every level. Whether you&rsquo;re designing something new, or making repairs, there are many different ways to approach any problem.</p>
<p>Part of engineering is improving on designs and systems that came before, so engineers often come up with innovative new solutions that can push the entire sector forward, all thanks to one moment of creativity.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Teamwork and relationships</h3>
<p>Working in engineering puts you in the middle of a team of experts. This means you get to work with and learn from people across many different fields, who might inspire you in ways you could never have imagined.</p>
<p>As we&rsquo;ve said, engineers are creative individuals, and if you&rsquo;re in a team, you&rsquo;ll meet people whose ways of thinking will help you see things in new and exciting ways.</p>
<p>Engineers often form life-long professional relationships and friendships with colleagues, helping them to find work or improve their skills across their careers.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Worldwide opportunities</h3>
<p>Another reason why engineering is so popular is because there is a global demand for it. Every country in the world has engineering projects, so you can move almost anywhere you want to.</p>
<p>Engineers frequently work all over the world across their careers, able to take a contract in Asia, then in Europe, then in South America. Some engineers end up relocating to a new country for the rest of their lives because they love the new culture so much.</p>
<p>Engineering combines analytical skill with creativity, allowing for precise knowledge, broad study, and constant improvement, learning from colleagues and mentors across different disciplines. A strong salary, and strong sense of purpose, help make engineering one of the most interesting, attractive, and rewarding careers in the world.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Read about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-to-format-your-cv-in-the-engineering-industry">how to format your CV for the engineering industry</a>, or learn about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/5-best-remote-engineering-roles">five of the best remote engineering roles</a></p>

Why You Should Join The Engineering Industry

<p>The Engineer has released its yearly survey into the salaries and job prospects of engineers across the UK, and it has revealed fascinating insights into the state of the engineering industry, the direction it&rsquo;s going, and how businesses can hire the right talent, while retaining the talent they already have.</p>
<p>The survey has found that the average salary of an engineer in the UK is &pound;57,366. Good pay is one of the main motivators for people looking to join the engineering industry, and the survey records that salaries can go as high as &pound;150,000 at director level.</p>
<p>However, the survey also found that only 55% of engineers say they&rsquo;re happy in their current role, so it&rsquo;s clear the industry needs to make drastic improvements to retain talent.</p>
<p>&nbsp;But before you can retain talent, you have to find it in the first place. With competition for new engineers getting more fierce each year, engineering firms have to make sure to stand out from the crowd when it comes to recruitment.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>How to attract engineering talent</h2>
<h3>Increase salaries wherever possible</h3>
<p>The survey found that the average mean salary has actually decreased since last year, and with the cost of living crisis only having worsened, talented engineers will be looking at all available options for jobs that offer more pay.</p>
<p>As previously mentioned, a strong salary is expected in the industry, so wherever possible companies need to be offering the most competitive salaries they can to attract new talent.</p>
<p>It&rsquo;s clear that not everyone is, as 47% of engineers are actively looking for another job. This is an increase compared to the previous year, so engineering companies need to start focusing on staff retention if they don&rsquo;t want to risk losing their top talent to rival firms.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Offer remote working</h3>
<p>Since the pandemic, remote working has become the norm across almost every industry. Many engineering firms have embraced this, as more and more candidates are looking for it, even prioritising flexible working over salary.</p>
<p>To attract new talent, engineering companies will need to change with the time and offer remote working as standard, or else will see competitors absorb all new engineers entering the field.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Develop a strong brand</h3>
<p>A strong brand is more important than ever. With new engineering companies starting up, and others diversifying into new industries, a strong brand is vital for standing out from the crowd.</p>
<p>Branding is what separates one business from another, makes them easily identifiable, and can make a huge difference in whether or not people decide to apply to work for them.</p>
<p>Shockingly, the survey revealed that 10% of engineers surveyed are considering leaving the engineering industry altogether. This is devastating news for the industry as a whole, as there is already a skills shortage hampering growth. But it is also bad for individual businesses, as it can cost around &pound;30,000 in lost productivity to hire and train someone new.</p>
<p>To avoid this, engineering businesses should make staff retention a priority.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>How to increase staff retention</h2>
<h3>Invest in company culture</h3>
<p>Culture can be make or break for any business. It can help keep morale up when working on difficult projects, and for some it&rsquo;s more important than salary. When considering a job move, as many engineers are, culture may well be the thing that stops them from moving on.</p>
<p>Because of that, engineering businesses are looking to improve their culture, building relationships between team members through social events, or running workshops to upskill other team members. This initiatives can make a place far nicer to work, and really do improve perceptions of a business.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>How to increase opportunities for professional development</h2>
<h3>Increase training, mentoring, and upskilling among your engineering talent</h3>
<p>While there are many engineering students studying STEM subjects, many of them drop out of university, or abandon an engineering career before it can even start, due to competition for roles.</p>
<p>Some companies are opting to invest heavily in learning and development programs to help their staff develop and grow throughout their careers, upskilling as the industry changes. This not only increases the ability of your team to work across different projects, but also increases company loyalty.</p>
<p>Engineers want to learn. According to an earlier survey, 86% of workers say that job training is important to them, 59% say that training would improve their job performance, and 51% believe it would improve their self-confidence.</p>
<p>Being given the opportunity to learn on the job is incredibly valuable in an industry like engineering, where things are changing all the time. Engineers value flexibility, progression, and job security. If you can help them become more resilient to shifts in the industry, they&rsquo;ll want to stay, and will recommend you to others.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Invest in and improve opportunities for women in engineering</h3>
<p>Women account for just 16% of junior engineers, and this number shrinks at every senior level, with just 5% of directors being female.</p>
<p>Getting more women into engineering would introduce a huge injection of talent into the hiring pool, so it should be a priority for more businesses to sponsor universities, offer internships, and hire women across all levels of the business.</p>
<p>These survey results illuminate a lot about the current state of the industry, and show areas where businesses should focus their efforts when it comes to recruitment, retention, and overall development for their engineering staff.</p>
<p>Read about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/new-technologies-in-civil-engineering-and-infrastructure">new technologies in civil engineering</a>, or learn&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/why-we-need-more-women-in-stem-roles">why we need more women in STEM roles</a>.</p>

How Businesses Can Attract Engineering Talent, Lower Turnover, And Create Opportunities For Professional Development

<p>When choosing a career path, it can be helpful to consider how certain jobs will fare in the future. While no one can truly predict what the future will be like, we are living in a time of great change, with powerful new technologies impacting the world in new ways that would have been unthinkable twenty years ago. &nbsp;</p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">Engineers are at the heart of this revolution, and young people considering a career in the field have a lot to think about.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">The world relies on engineering for solutions to incredibly complex problems. Infrastructure, medicine, defence, transport, 5G, and AI are just some of the ways that engineers are improving the world.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">Old methods of manufacture, design, and operation have changed, and certain schools of engineering are becoming more valuable. We look at some of the best engineering jobs that will stay secure, meaningful, and rewarding in the future.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<h2><span data-contrast="none">The best engineering jobs to have in the future</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;</span></h2>
<p><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<h3><span data-contrast="none">Artificial Intelligence</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;</span></h3>
<p><span data-contrast="none">One of the biggest areas in engineering, and science in general, is the development of artificial intelligence. Machine learning has been around for a while, but creating smarter AI systems is an ongoing process that will have huge ramifications for how we live our lives.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">As data capture has become more sophisticated and powerful, we require more sophisticated and powerful machines to analyse that data. The more data an artificial intelligence has, the better it can go about solving problems. Artificial intelligence is one of the best hopes we have of solving major world issues like the climate crisis, and the engineers that build these systems report having very high levels of job satisfaction, knowing they&rsquo;re building something that will have a huge impact on the world.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">There are many ways to work with artificial intelligence, but one of the most exciting is robotics engineering. Robotics engineers work across multiple disciplines, combining mechanics, electronics, and computer science. They are often working at the forefront of robotics and intelligence systems.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<h3><span data-contrast="none">Virtual Reality</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;</span></h3>
<p><span data-contrast="none">VR systems will likely become more common as we move towards the metaverse being fully realised. While VR games have been dismissed as a fad by some critics in the industry, there&rsquo;s no denying that it seems like VR will be big business in the next decade and beyond.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">Engineers working in entirely virtual spaces will help shape the next evolution of entertainment and social networking, creating vast worlds to explore. To succeed, engineers will need more than technical skills, they&rsquo;ll also need vision and creativity, which correlate strongly with work engagement.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<h3><span data-contrast="none">Disaster Recovery</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;</span></h3>
<p><span data-contrast="none">Engineering plays a vital role in helping save lives after natural disasters. Technological advances now allow special trackers, drones, and radar devices to locate missing people in the aftermath of earthquakes or other tragedies.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">Engineers have worked on specialised transport designed to drive over uneven or unstable terrain, reinforced shelters that provide a base of operations, and emergency water and sanitation equipment that can save lives after a disaster. Engineers on the ground can repair electrical and communications systems, and help ensure that doctors and other aid workers have working equipment when they arrive.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">There are also engineers working on more sophisticated early warning and detection systems which may be able to save thousands of lives. This kind of emergency engineering has some of the highest satisfaction of any career in the world, not just engineering.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<h3><span data-contrast="none">Cloud Engineering</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;</span></h3>
<p><span data-contrast="none">Cloud usage has risen steadily over the pandemic, and is vital for businesses around the world. Ensuring the cloud is reliable, accessible, and secure is becoming increasingly important. Engineers working in cloud technology can be responsible for designing, planning, and maintaining these systems that have become invaluable for so many people.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<h3><span data-contrast="none">Renewable Energy</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;</span></h3>
<p><span data-contrast="none">As we slowly move away from fossil fuels, we require more green energy infrastructure and storage. This will require huge amounts of design, implementation, and maintenance, being one of the largest engineering projects of the last century.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">Renewable energy engineers will play a vital role in the transition from harmful fossil fuels to cleaner, safer energy, and as such this particular type of engineering is highly rated, highly sought after, and highly rewarded.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">Read more about the&nbsp;</span><a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/best-engineering-companies-to-work-for-in-2022"><span data-contrast="none">best engineering companies to work for</span></a><span data-contrast="none">, or learn&nbsp;</span><a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/why-you-should-consider-an-apprenticeship-in-engineering"><span data-contrast="none">why you should consider an apprenticeship in engineering</span></a><span data-contrast="none">.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;</span></p>

The Best Engineering Jobs For The Future

<p><span data-contrast="none">3D printing is one of the most innovative developments in manufacturing and engineering in recent years. It has helped reduce costs, increase efficiency, and help improve on existing designs across many different industries, including the aerospace, automotive, and even the medical fields. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">Chinese company WinSun has 3D printed an entire building, and we may soon see even more incredible feats from this technology</span></p>
<p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YzqGfJDdbDM" width="560" height="314" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">But how did it get started? And how has it changed over time?</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<h2><strong><span data-contrast="none">How 3D printing has changed over the years</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span></h2>
<h3><strong><span data-contrast="none">The birth of 3D printing</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span></h3>
<p><span data-contrast="none">3D printing was originally conceptualised in Japan in the 1980s, thanks to Hideo Kodama, an engineer who created the technology to print layers of material resulting in a 3D product, but who was denied a patent. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">In France, the French General Electric Company also created a similar method to create 3D objects, but the company didn&rsquo;t see a use for the technology and scrapped the project. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">However, in the mid-1980s, an American engineer named Charles Hull created a prototype for a process called stereolithography (SLA). His design took acrylic-based materials and turned them from liquids to solids using ultraviolet light. He patented the SLA printer and is now often called the father of 3D printing. At this time, a 3D printer as it existed then cost around $300,000 to purchase. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<h3><strong><span data-contrast="none">The growth of 3D printing in the 1990s</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span></h3>
<p><span data-contrast="none">Now that the foundation of 3D printing existed, other engineers and businesses began to innovate and expand on the technology. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">New processes like micro casting allowed 3D printing to be used for metals, not just plastics, opening up new areas of production and manufacture, widening the use for the technology into new industries. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">However, the cost of 3D printing was still expensive, limiting the technology to low-volume product design and creation. As such, it was a natural fit for prototyping and was used extensively in the </span><a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/tag/aerospace-aviation"><span data-contrast="none">aerospace industry</span></a><span data-contrast="none">.  </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<h3><strong><span data-contrast="none">Low-cost printing</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span></h3>
<p><span data-contrast="none">The biggest blocker to 3D printing going mainstream was the cost. In England, a professor named Adrian Bower designed and created a low-cost 3D printer, called the Darwin. Almost a fifth of its components could be 3D printed themselves, and the printer cost less than $750. Before long, they were all over the world. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">They ceased to be only an option for businesses, with hobbyists and amateurs getting 3D printers at home, allowing them to design and create with ease.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">Businesses could use the technology to generate new replacement parts faster than ordering them, meaning inventory shortages were no longer a concern. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">By 2014, </span><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tjmccue/2015/07/30/4-1-billion-industry-forecast-in-crazy-3d-printing-stock-market/?sh=2002c3f71631"><span data-contrast="none">the 3D printing industry generated over a billion dollars in revenue</span></a><span data-contrast="none"> and has only continued to grow since. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<h3><strong><span data-contrast="none">3D printing and COVID-19</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span></h3>
<p><span data-contrast="none">When the pandemic first hit, 3D printing played a key role in the fight against the virus. Ventilator components, respirator valves, and even protection equipment were created through 3D printing, allowing hospitals to create their supplies instead of relying on a supply chain that was stretched to breaking point. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">3D printing has grown incredibly fast over the last two decades and will continue to play an important part in how we manufacture products at scale.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">According to some estimates, </span><a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/315386/global-market-for-3d-printers/"><span data-contrast="none">the global 3D printing market is expected to surpass 40 billion US dollars by 2024</span></a><span data-contrast="none">. This is in part thanks to the ease with which we can now create complex components, but also for the incredible things we can now 3D print that would have been impossible to even imagine in the past: for example, we can now print viable human organs. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none"> With young engineers learning the technology early on in their careers, we&rsquo;ll likely see even more innovations in 3D printing in the future. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">Read more about </span><a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/5-best-supply-chain-innovations"><span data-contrast="none">supply chain innovations</span></a><span data-contrast="none"> like 3D printing, or learn about </span><a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/5-ways-manufacturing-engineering-businesses-have-diversified"><span data-contrast="none">how manufacturing has diversified</span></a><span data-contrast="none">. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true}">&nbsp;</span></p>

The Evolution of 3D Printing

<p>The impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic have been significant and far-reaching across industries and geographies. Although Engineering and Manufacturing are in many cases deemed &lsquo;essential&rsquo; through the production of food and healthcare products, facilitating communication during lockdown and maintaining national cyber security, these sectors have suffered considerable negative effects.</p>
<p>Tata Motors reports significantly&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-will-coronavirus-affect-the-aerospace-automotive-and-engineering-industries">reduced vehicle production and wholesale volume</a>, meaning lower profits for Jaguar Landrover, and new product launches such as the Mercedes-Benz GLA have been forced to cancel or postpone. An&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.bham.ac.uk/cityredi/covid-19-diversification-measures-what-local-and-regional-governments-can-do/">industry analysis</a>&nbsp;performed by KPMG predicts the closure of car plants and hundreds of factories connected to the Automotive sector before the end of 2020, meaning that the economies of London and the West Midlands could shrink by 7.3% and 10.1%respectively.</p>
<p>However, the flexible and innovative strategies of many major industry players prove that with every challenge comes a new opportunity. Although diversification of a new product or service into a new market is normally a very risky business strategy, a turnaround during a crisis such as a pandemic can revitalise ailing organisations and even drive new business growth. Here&rsquo;s how five Engineering and Manufacturing firms have previously diversified during times of difficulty to achieve success.</p>
<h2><strong>5 Engineering &amp; Manufacturing Companies That Adapted to Crises/Market Changes</strong></h2>
<h3><strong>1. Grace Technologies &ndash; Sports</strong></h3>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>From its beginnings over 50 years ago, Grace Engineering has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.industryweek.com/leadership/companies-executives/article/21935397/diversifying-your-business">embraced major shifts</a>&nbsp;in production and pivoting business strategy to match market needs and global events. Following the collapse of its main customers, the impact printing industry, Grace pivoted into the Automotive and medical industries to supply a precision machining, grinding and embossing services.</p>
<p>The firm&rsquo;s next diversifying moment was conceived from a potential opportunity rather than a crisis. In recent years, the organisation followed the steady increase in sports participation and interest in group outdoor activities by designing a metal injection process to make broadheads, a component of arrowheads used in archery. The company expanded into additional archery products, which complements their ever-growing product portfolio including electrical safety devices and smart technology, also conceived from detailed market research and strategic capitalisation. Grace has seen year-on-year revenue growth for the past decade and a 15% growth revenue growth in the last year.</p>
<p><img src="https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Industrial%20worker%20cutting%20and%20welding%20metal%20with%20many%20sharp%20sparks-1.jpeg?width=1000&amp;name=Industrial%20worker%20cutting%20and%20welding%20metal%20with%20many%20sharp%20sparks-1.jpeg" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" srcset="https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Industrial%20worker%20cutting%20and%20welding%20metal%20with%20many%20sharp%20sparks-1.jpeg?width=500&amp;name=Industrial%20worker%20cutting%20and%20welding%20metal%20with%20many%20sharp%20sparks-1.jpeg 500w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Industrial%20worker%20cutting%20and%20welding%20metal%20with%20many%20sharp%20sparks-1.jpeg?width=1000&amp;name=Industrial%20worker%20cutting%20and%20welding%20metal%20with%20many%20sharp%20sparks-1.jpeg 1000w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Industrial%20worker%20cutting%20and%20welding%20metal%20with%20many%20sharp%20sparks-1.jpeg?width=1500&amp;name=Industrial%20worker%20cutting%20and%20welding%20metal%20with%20many%20sharp%20sparks-1.jpeg 1500w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Industrial%20worker%20cutting%20and%20welding%20metal%20with%20many%20sharp%20sparks-1.jpeg?width=2000&amp;name=Industrial%20worker%20cutting%20and%20welding%20metal%20with%20many%20sharp%20sparks-1.jpeg 2000w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Industrial%20worker%20cutting%20and%20welding%20metal%20with%20many%20sharp%20sparks-1.jpeg?width=2500&amp;name=Industrial%20worker%20cutting%20and%20welding%20metal%20with%20many%20sharp%20sparks-1.jpeg 2500w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Industrial%20worker%20cutting%20and%20welding%20metal%20with%20many%20sharp%20sparks-1.jpeg?width=3000&amp;name=Industrial%20worker%20cutting%20and%20welding%20metal%20with%20many%20sharp%20sparks-1.jpeg 3000w" alt="5 Ways Manufacturing &amp; Engineering Businesses Have Diversified" width="1000"></p>
<h3><strong>2. Coty &ndash; Hand Sanitizer</strong></h3>
<p>Whilst American company Coty has operated for over a hundred years as a manufacturer of cosmetics and beauty products, the conglomerate fast diversified in response to Covid-19. On March 25<sup>th</sup>&nbsp;2020 &ndash; mere days after the US began implementing lockdown &ndash; Coty announced that it had already started manufacturing hydro-alcoholic gel to fulfil the high demand for hand sanitizer.</p>
<p>Coty began producing tens of thousands of units of hand sanitizers per week, and also committed to producing face masks to help prevent the spread of the virus. In addition to the company&rsquo;s swift response in an emergency situation, the strategic move also aimed to benefit society, with thousands of units promised in donations to health and social care workers, and employees, with products given directly to Coty employees working in plants, pharmacies and retail outlets.</p>
<p>&lsquo;As a responsible beauty company, we make our resources and facilities available to help the communities we are operating in during these exceptionally challenging times,&rsquo;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coty.com/in-the-news/press-release/coty-starts-producing-hydro-alcoholic-hand-sanitizer-help-combat-covid-19">commented Coty CEO Pierre Laubies</a>. &lsquo;We are proud to support the brave professionals fighting on the frontlines against COVID-19 by providing hand sanitizer where it is needed. We are incredibly proud of our associates who are stepping up to contribute to the global fight against COVID-19.&rsquo;</p>
<h3><strong>3. Hewlett-Packard &ndash; Computing</strong></h3>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Founded in 1939, Hewlett Packard (HP) was initially created to produce audio equipment. Although its products were successful and were even&nbsp;<a href="https://www.computerhistory.org/brochures/g-i/hewlettpackard-company-hp/#:~:text=HP%20was%20founded%20by%20Bill,their%20first%20customers%20Walt%20Disney.&amp;text=HP%20entered%20the%20computer%20market,of%20test%20and%20measurement%20equipment.">used by Disney</a>&nbsp;in one of its first major feature films, the audio machines required intricate design and many laborious engineering and production specifications.</p>
<p>In the 1960&rsquo;s, HP conducted extensive market research and decided to take a business-critical risk by capitalising on the growing yet undervalued computing market. HP used its existing Engineering skills and experience to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.strategy-business.com/blog/How-IKEA-Disney-and-Berkshire-Hathaway-Succeed-with-Adjacencies?gko=99c07">create desktop printers</a>&nbsp;&ndash; and it&rsquo;s now hard to imagine the company not dominating the printer market.</p>
<p>For the past 40 years HP have delivered a full range of computer and technology equipment. The company has&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hewlett-Packard">since acquired</a>&nbsp;Compaq in 2002, EDS in 2008, 3com in 2009 and Palm Inc and 3PAR in 2012. The firm is now the world's largest personal computer vendor, employees over 60,000 people and ranked at #58 in the 2018 Fortune 500 list of the largest American businesses by total revenue.</p>
<p><img src="https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Industry%20factory%20in%20kawasaki%20at%20night.jpeg?width=1000&amp;name=Industry%20factory%20in%20kawasaki%20at%20night.jpeg" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" srcset="https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Industry%20factory%20in%20kawasaki%20at%20night.jpeg?width=500&amp;name=Industry%20factory%20in%20kawasaki%20at%20night.jpeg 500w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Industry%20factory%20in%20kawasaki%20at%20night.jpeg?width=1000&amp;name=Industry%20factory%20in%20kawasaki%20at%20night.jpeg 1000w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Industry%20factory%20in%20kawasaki%20at%20night.jpeg?width=1500&amp;name=Industry%20factory%20in%20kawasaki%20at%20night.jpeg 1500w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Industry%20factory%20in%20kawasaki%20at%20night.jpeg?width=2000&amp;name=Industry%20factory%20in%20kawasaki%20at%20night.jpeg 2000w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Industry%20factory%20in%20kawasaki%20at%20night.jpeg?width=2500&amp;name=Industry%20factory%20in%20kawasaki%20at%20night.jpeg 2500w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Industry%20factory%20in%20kawasaki%20at%20night.jpeg?width=3000&amp;name=Industry%20factory%20in%20kawasaki%20at%20night.jpeg 3000w" alt="Engineering Diversification" width="1000"></p>
<h3><strong>4. Samsung &ndash; Military Equipment</strong></h3>
<p>Whilst technology giant Samsung is a market leader in communication devices such as mobile phones and televisions, the company has a surprising history in multiple diversifications.</p>
<p>In 1983 Samsung capitalised on growing globalisation and concerns around the escalation of the Cold War to launch a Military branch of the business. Samsung Techwin manufacturers products that deliver surveillance, aeronautics, automation, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wearethemighty.com/intel/samsung-military#:~:text=Billed%20as%20promoting%20peace%20and,%2C%20automation%2C%20and%20weapons%20technology.&amp;text=Samsung%20Techwin%20is%20just%20one,businesses%20Samsung%20is%20involved%20in.">weapons technology</a>. The Defence branch has since expanded to produce artillery systems, ammunition resupply and amphibious assault vehicles and other weapons.</p>
<p>In a significant shift away from both technology and Defence, the technology brand also owns South Korea's&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everland#:~:text=Everland%20is%20South%20Korea's%20largest%20theme%20park.&amp;text=Along%20with%20its%20main%20attractions,subsidiary%20of%20the%20Samsung%20Group.">largest theme park</a>. Opened in 1976, Everland grew from farm-focused attractions and now offers a zoo and water park for its 6million annual visitors. The park has seen continued success and, despite the reign of superbrands like Disney and Six Flags, currently ranks nineteenth in the world for amusement park attendance in 2018.</p>
<p>Samsung&rsquo;s diverse range of over 80 business branches enable the company to enter into new markets after careful research to capitalise on opportunities that suit its existing skillset, and protect the business from major impact to any one industry.</p>
<p><strong>5. Airbus &amp; Formula One &ndash; Ventilators</strong></p>
<p>When the UK government issued a call for the manufacturer and production of life-saving ventilators, Engineering and Manufacturing companies across Britain responded immediately. An initial 30,000 medical machines were requested to aid the breathing of Covid-19 patients and help severely ill individuals get back on the road to recovery. The public call for help was answered by a variety of companies across industries and saw many major players &ndash; in some cases, even competitive rivals &ndash; who took leave from their usual business practices to work together for the greater good.</p>
<p>Medical device maker Penlon was supported by major brand names in adapting its existing ventilator production to increase the speed and volume of production. Aircraft manufacturer Airbus, industrial technology and automation provider Siemens, Automotive company Ford and several Formula One motor racing teams joined various other firms to form the Ventilator Challenge UK consortium.</p>
<p>The consortium worked to deliver the existing Penlon Prima ESO2 model at rapid speed and mammoth scale. In under a week, the collective transformed the Welsh Government-owned AMRC Cymru facility in Broughton, North Wales, from a research and development centre&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52309294">into an assembly line</a>&nbsp;to produce medical ventilators. Under normal circumstances, Penlon could generate up to 60 ventilators a week: the diverse consortium team created more than 10,000 ventilators in just 14 weeks. With 1,500 ventilators built each week, the UK health and social care sector could now benefit from the equivalent of six months&rsquo; UK ventilator production in just one day.</p>
<p>Simon Hart, Secretary of State for Wales&nbsp;<a href="https://www.business-live.co.uk/manufacturing/incredibly-proud-airbus-siemens-workers-18509935">comments on the project</a>: &lsquo;We are extremely grateful to the Ventilator Challenge UK consortium, involving some of the UK&rsquo;s most iconic businesses, for stepping forward to work with government and meet the unprecedented challenge created by the pandemic. The fight against coronavirus is a collective national effort and the production of hospital ventilators for the NHS has made a real difference.&rsquo;</p>
<p>Automotive and Motorsport teams across Britain,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.ferrari-unveil-new-ventilator-for-coronavirus-patients-designed-and-built-in.7DrOsmsbQB9piUafeuuXJA.html">including Ferrari and Mercedes</a>, have also stepped up to shift production to ventilators and other life-saving medical equipment products.</p>
<p>Discover&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-airlines-are-getting-back-to-business-after-covid-19">How Airlines are Getting Back to Business After Covid-19</a>&nbsp;or read about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/5-automotive-brands-that-bounced-back-from-crisis">5 Automotive Brands That Bounced Back from Crisis</a>.</p>
<p>Is your workforce returning to the office or worksite? Read more about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/news/vhr-now-offering-workplace-safeguarding-services">Social Distancing Equipment</a>.</p>

5 Ways Manufacturing & Engineering Businesses Have Diversified

<p>It&rsquo;s an engineer&rsquo;s job to build things, make things better, and to come up with new solutions to complicated problems. Engineers have created new forms of transportation, new ways of generating energy, and built a communications network that spans the globe, allowing for instantaneous retrieval of information.</p>
<p>Engineers are held to high standards with their work, certainly higher than most other careers. But they should also be held to high ethical standards, to ensure all their work isn&rsquo;t harming people, or eroding public trust in our institutions.</p>
<p>Engineers are now an integral part of how the world functions on a minute-to-minute level. They build the computers that hold data about our schools, hospitals, and governments. They build the security that keeps that data safe from hackers. They build the systems that guide our planes, that schedule our trains, that keep us safe from harm.</p>
<p>This is an important undertaking, and because of the profound impact it has on human society, one that should be approached with ethics in mind.</p>
<h2>How Do Ethics Relate To Engineering?</h2>
<p>The study of ethics goes back to at least the ancient Greeks, but has arguably been a core part of the human condition since language began. It revolves around morality &ndash; the concept of evil and good. The study of ethics has mostly been concerned with how to live a good life, the nature of evil, and whether good and evil can exist in a universe without God.</p>
<p>Most of our own ethical codes or beliefs come from religion and the culture we were brought up in. Ethics can vary wildly from place to place, and person to person. However, when applied to engineering, ethics can be relatively straightforward.</p>
<p>Ethics can be applied to engineering in two broad ways: safety and honesty. The safety aspect is paramount, as a single mistake could cause damage or even physical harm.</p>
<p>Honesty should be held up as a virtue in any industry, but certainly in engineering.</p>
<h1>Why Engineers Should Learn About Ethics:</h1>
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Engineering Projects Can Have A Direct Impact On People&rsquo;s Safety</h3>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Whether someone works in infrastructure, electrical, or digital engineering, their&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-engineering-impacts-every-part-of-modern-life" target="_blank" rel="noopener">work impacts the everyday lives of civilians</a>.</p>
<p>All engineers know this, and should strive to do their best work, ensuring nothing but the highest standards. An appreciation for ethics would reinforce this, as not only is doing good work a matter of professionalism, in the content of engineering it&rsquo;s also a matter of morality.</p>
<p>Bad work brings bad results, which could ruin lives.</p>
<ul>
<li>
<h3>It Gives Them Ability To Push Back Against Bad Decisions</h3>
</li>
</ul>
<p>We&rsquo;re bombarded with news stories about how companies seem to flout ethical considerations relating to privacy, propriety, or even safety. Ethics are often dropped in the face of increased profits, and this decision always comes from those at the top, not the engineers who actually work on the projects. Facebook, Google, Volkswagen, and others companies have come under fire for acting unethically (read: being evil),</p>
<p>Since engineers will often be working for large companies (with big budgets) the questions of ethics should be raised as early on in an engineer&rsquo;s career as possible. It should form part of the culture of engineering, and be celebrated as something to be proud of.</p>
<p>A grounding in ethics empowers engineers to bring concerns forward, and ensure that the proper level of scrutiny is applied to unsafe or unethical practices.</p>
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Ethics Have To Be Explained to AI Systems</h3>
</li>
</ul>
<p>We&rsquo;ve all seen movies and read books about artificial intelligence systems rising up and turning against humanity. While the experts don&rsquo;t think that will happen, there is a very real possibility that AI will have a negative impact on certain groups, not due to malice, but inherent biases encoded into the system by humans. This kind of oversight can and will cause harm if not addressed. Engineers who have an ethical framework will already have a solid foundation from which to fix this problem.</p>
<p>Conscious or unconscious biases can be easily input into a machine that has no capacity for recognizing them as &lsquo;bad&rsquo;, because the machine isn&rsquo;t aware of any other model of looking at the world.</p>
<p>This can only be overcome if engineers look inwards to uncover their own biases, and interrogate themselves as to why those biases exist.</p>
<p>When it comes to programming an AI, all decisions should be subject to scrutiny, filtered through an ethical lens. Engineers have a responsibility to unlearn these biases, to ensure that any AI they build don't pick them up.</p>
<p>There are several online courses for engineers to study ethics, or you can study them for yourself. A more ethical society is a better society, so the more people who study ethics, the better.&nbsp;</p>
<p>VHR prides itself on being an ethical recruitment company. We strive to educate and protect our workers from exploitation, dangerous practices, and unsafe working conditions.</p>
<p>Read about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/new-skills-engineers-will-need-in-2020">new skills engineers will need in 2020</a>, or learn&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/news/vhr-leading-fair-labour-alliance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">what makes VHR an ethical recruitment company</a>.</p>

Why Ethics Are So Important For Engineers

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<p>Once, the only materials we could use to build with were what we could find in nature. Wood, stone, clay, iron, and bronze allowed us to build houses, tools, and weapons.</p>
<p>Over time, we discovered we could create new substances and materials, that were stronger and lighter than before. Carbon fibre is one of the most significant materials we have synthesized, and has changed how we approach the challenge of engineering.</p>
<h1><strong>What Is Carbon Fibre?</strong></h1>
<p>Carbon fibre is a long thin strand of carbon atoms that can be woven into larger structures. The atoms are bonded together into microscopic crystals, which make it incredibly strong for its small size.</p>
<p>Lighter and stronger than steel, carbon fibre has many uses, and so can be found in many different products. The material is commonly found in golf clubs, bicycle parts, and wind turbines.</p>
<p>Carbon fibre is made from organic polymers: long strands of molecules bound by carbon atoms. These strands are then heated to the a very high temperature, around 1,000-3,000 degrees Celsius. The high temperature causes the atoms in the fibre to vibrate, expelling the non-carbon atoms in a process known as carbonisation. This vaporises about 50% of the total material, leaving the carbon locked in tight compact chains, giving the material its strength. It&rsquo;s also highly durable, and resistant to corrosion.</p>
<p>The United States and Japan are some of the leading exporters of carbon fibre.</p>
<h2><strong>The History Of Carbon Fibre</strong></h2>
<p>Carbon fibre dates back to 1860, used by Joseph Swan in early lightbulbs. Thomas Edison would also use it for filaments in his designs. The material&rsquo;s tolerance to heat made it ideal for conducting electricity. These were not the same carbon fibres that we know today, they were made from baked cotton threads and bamboo slivers. When these were burnt, they carbonised into an all-carbon filament.</p>
<p>However, it wasn&rsquo;t until 1958 that carbon fibre as we understand it today was first synthesised. These first fibres were created by heating rayon until the carbonisation process began. This resulted in only around 20% carbon being formed, and so the process was improved and refined over the coming decades.</p>
<h2><strong>The Future Of Carbon Fibre</strong></h2>
<p>Over the next decade, the carbon fibre industry is predicted to triple in value to around $6 billion.</p>
<p>There is a growing demand for strong, lightweight materials across all industries. The material is vital for the wind energy industry, predicted to be worth almost 50% of the market by the end of next year. Carbon turbines blades can be longer and tougher than fibreglass models, and are more resilient to the harsh conditions at sea.</p>
<p>Due to the incredibly light weight of carbon fibre, we&rsquo;ll likely see more of it in our transportation, as lighter transport is more fuel efficient. Luckily the cost of producing the material is getting lower thanks to automation.</p>
<p>However, carbon fibre could create waste problems in the future if careful action isn&rsquo;t taken to ensure its safe disposal or recycling into new forms. Carbon fibre cannot be simply melted down like other materials.</p>
<p>Composite technology solutions allow for greater creativity in the design of new products or structures, and innovation is the key to driving engineering forward.</p>
<p>Read more about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/3-materials-that-will-change-engineering" target="_blank" rel="noopener">materials that have changed engineering</a>, or learn about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/materials-that-make-motorsport-safer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">materials that make motorsport safer</a>.</p>
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History of Engineering: Carbon Fibre

<p>When we think of military technology, we tend to think of&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/what-is-the-future-of-the-fighter-jet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fighter jets</a>&nbsp;soaring through the sky,&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/the-history-of-the-submarine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">submarines</a>&nbsp;hiding beneath the ocean, or powerful&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/new-discovery-leads-to-more-efficient-munitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">missiles</a>&nbsp;that can&rsquo;t be intercepted.</p>
<p>However, over time, military engineering often makes its way into our homes in the form of new appliances and technology that couldn&rsquo;t exist otherwise.</p>
<h1><strong>5 Everyday Things That Came From The Military:</strong></h1>
<h3><strong>Computers</strong></h3>
<p>The basis for what would go on to become the computer was created during World War II. In 1941, the British Bombe was invented by&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/alan-turing-defence-engineering" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alan Turing</a>&nbsp;as a means of decrypting Nazi Enigma Code. Prior to this, all of his work in computing was purely theoretical. He was brought onto the Colossus Project, which again was designed to break enemy codes.</p>
<p>The Colossus Project created the first electronic digital computer, which according to many experts shortened the war considerably thanks to the Allies&rsquo; ability to crack German communications.</p>
<h3><strong>Microwaves</strong></h3>
<p>During World War II, it was discovered that microwaves transmitted from radar equipment could heat food. Percy Spencer was an engineer working on radar technology, when he discovered that a chocolate bar he had in his pocket had melted during his work.</p>
<p>After some experimentation, he realized that by directing the focus in a contained space, microwaves could be concentrated at a specific point and create enough heat to cook food.</p>
<h3><strong>Duct Tape</strong></h3>
<p>Another invention created during World War II, duct tape was invented by Vesta Stoudt, a concerned mother with two sons serving in the Navy. She worked at the local ordinance plant packing boxes of rifle cartridges. These boxes were taped and waxed to make them waterproof, but the tape was made of paper, with a small tab left loose so it could (in theory) be pulled to release the wax coating and open the box. However, the paper tape wasn&rsquo;t very strong, meaning these tabs would more often than not simply tear straight off, leaving soldiers frantically trying to open the boxes themselves while in combat.</p>
<p>Vesta had the idea of replacing the paper tape and wax with a stronger waterproof cloth tape. She believed in her idea so much that she wrote a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt explaining her design:</p>
<p>&ldquo;I suggested we use a strong cloth tape to close seams, and make tab of same.&nbsp; It worked fine, I showed it to different government inspectors they said it was all right, but I could never get them to change tape. I have two sons out there somewhere, one in the Pacific Island the other one with the Atlantic Fleet. You have sons in the service also. We can&rsquo;t let them down by giving them a box of cartridges that takes a minute or more to open, the enemy taking their lives, that could have been saved. Had the box been taped with a strong cloth tape that can be opened in a split second. I didn&rsquo;t know who to write to Mr. President, so have written you hoping for your boys, my boys, and every man that uses the rifle grenade, that this package of rifle cartridges may be taped with the correct tape.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The War Production Board asked Johnson &amp; Johnson to manufacture the tape, given their experience with creating surgical adhesive tapes. Allegedly it was originally called duck tape, because it was waterproof.</p>
<p>Vesta would go on to receive the Chicago Tribune&rsquo;s War Worker Award for her idea. Outside the military, it was renamed duct tape for its ability to patch and repair ducts.</p>
<h3><strong>GPS Navigation</strong></h3>
<p>The technology we rely on for navigation with our smartphones and cars was originally military technology. The Global Positioning System (GPS) allows accurate location anywhere in the world. It provides users with positioning, navigation, and timing. Originally called NAVSTAR, it is still to this day owned by the US Government.</p>
<p>Designed in the 1970s as an alternative to radio navigation systems, the system of 24 satellites could keep track of soldiers, spy on enemy movement, and track the trajectory of missiles thanks to trilateration.</p>
<p>Now the technology utilises more than 30 satellites, and when the technology was successfully completed in 1995, GPS was made available to the public.</p>
<p>The technology has made flights safer, and search and rescue operations have become far more successful thanks to the ability to search large amounts of space quickly.</p>
<h3><strong>Digital Cameras</strong></h3>
<p>The technology behind digital cameras began in spy satellites, used in the 1970s to capture high-quality images of enemy installations.</p>
<p>The original spy satellites had to air-drop massive amounts of film back to earth to then be developed and analysed. Digital technology held the potential to take usable pictures that couldn&rsquo;t be intercepted by the enemy.</p>
<p>The first true digital camera was invented by Steven Sasson in 1975, cobbled together out of spare parts that were just lying around in a photography lab. It weighed nearly 4 kilograms, had a 0.1 megapixel resolution, and took 23 seconds to take a black and white photo. Sasson was working for Kodak at the time, who owned around 90% of the photography market. Their main product was film, and they chose to abandon the digital project rather than develop it.</p>
<p>Military technology can have the potential to make civilian life easier and safer. Who knows what new technology will be commonplace in the future thanks to military innovation?</p>
<p>Read about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/technological-progress-since-the-moon-landing-and-how-that-helps-engineering-today" target="_blank" rel="noopener">technological progress since the moon landing</a>, or learn how&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-engineering-impacts-every-part-of-modern-life" target="_blank" rel="noopener">engineering impacts every area of modern life</a>.</p>

Household Items that Came From Military Technology

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<p>The internet is one of the most important inventions in human history. It has revolutionised how we communicate, learn, and meet each other.</p>
<p>But how did the internet come to be the 15 petabytes of data that it is today? And how will it change in the future?</p>
<h2><strong>Early History Of The Internet:</strong></h2>
<h3><strong>ARPANET</strong></h3>
<p>The first computer network was set up way back in 1969. The US Defence Department&rsquo;s Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (Arpanet) formed a basic framework for what would go on to become the internet as we know it. The first message sent across the network was the word &lsquo;login&rsquo;, but the system crashed on the letter &lsquo;g&rsquo;.</p>
<p>In 1973, several Arp-networks were linked to form an inter-network with no central control. The University College of London and the Royal Radar Establishment in Norway connected to Arpanet. This term internet is born.</p>
<h3><strong>The World Wide Web</strong></h3>
<p>The next year, the first internet service provider (ISP) was created, known as Telenet.</p>
<p>In 1982, Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Internet Protocol (IP) are created. &lsquo;The internet&rsquo; was defined as any TCP/IP connected networks. TCP/IP remains the standard protocol for the internet today. In 1983, the Domain Name System was established, giving us the domains .com, .co.uk, .org, and many more which are still used today.</p>
<p>In 1984, author William Gibson coins the term &lsquo;cyberspace&rsquo; in the ground-breaking novel&nbsp;<em>Neuromancer</em>.</p>
<p>The term &lsquo;World Wide Web&rsquo; was first proposed in 1989 by Tim Berners-Lee. The concept was designed to convince CERN, his employer, that a network built on global hypertext would be in their best interest.</p>
<p>Tim Berners-Lee would go on to invent HTML (HyperText Markup Language) in 1990. Still one of the main coding languages used today, HTML was one of the biggest developments in the formation of the internet.</p>
<p>The first web page as we would recognise it was created in 1991. The first webcam was set up in the same year at Cambridge University&rsquo;s computer lab, designed to keep an eye on the coffee pot so people could avoid making the trip when it was empty.</p>
<p>Ebay and Amazon went live in 1995. Google went live in 1998, changing the way people find information. It is now the primary method of finding anything online. Wikipedia was launched in 2001, further revolutionising the way people access information. Facebook launched in 2004, Youtube in 2005, and Twitter in 2006. These are some of the biggest websites today, responsible for gigantic amounts of data being uploaded onto them every single day.</p>
<h3><strong>Email</strong></h3>
<p>Email was invented in 1971, allowing user to send a short message to another user on the same network. Just two years later, email accounted for 75% of all activity on Arpanet. The first email client was invented in 1975, with the added functionalities of &lsquo;Reply&rsquo; and &lsquo;Forward&rsquo; which we now take for granted.</p>
<p>In 1976, Queen Elizabeth sent her first email. In 1978, the first spam email was sent.</p>
<h3><strong>Project Gutenberg</strong></h3>
<p>1971 was also the year Project Gutenberg went live, one of the most significant undertakings in human civilisation. Project Gutenberg is a world-wide initiative to make books and famous documents in the public domain digitalised and available for free.</p>
<p>The project&rsquo;s founder, Michael Hart, realised that the future of computing wasn&rsquo;t in the raw computing power itself, but in the storing and retrieval of information. He began manually typing famous works, and essentially invented the eBook.</p>
<h3><strong>Chatrooms and Message Boards</strong></h3>
<p>1979 saw the creation of Usenet, the first internet-based discussion system. It allowed users to post messages on public forums grouped by topic.</p>
<p>In 1988, Internet Relay Chat was introduced, paving the way for today&rsquo;s instant messenger systems like Facebook Chat and Whatsapp.</p>
<h3><strong>WiFi</strong></h3>
<p>Wifi was invented in 1997, revolutionising how people got online. Before this, dial-up modems were the only way for people to access the internet.</p>
<h2><strong>The Internet Today</strong></h2>
<p>Today the internet is ubiquitous, with smartphones and Internet of Things-enabled devices being able to connect to the internet from wherever they are. Over 3 billion people use the internet, and the majority of that is now on mobile devices.</p>
<p>Every minute, over 200 million emails are sen, and over 70 hours of video content is uploaded to Youtube.</p>
<h2><strong>The Future Of The Internet</strong></h2>
<p>With 5G being rolled out, augmented reality, and new devices being constantly invented, the future of the internet is definitely exciting.</p>
<p>Read more about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/technological-progress-since-the-moon-landing-and-how-that-helps-engineering-today" target="_blank" rel="noopener">technological progress</a>, or learn about a key figure in the history of computers &ndash;&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/alan-turing-defence-engineering" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alan Turing</a>.</p>
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History of Engineering: The Internet

<p>Since mankind landed on the moon fifty years ago, our technological progress has rapidly expanded across every single sector and discipline of science. Thanks to technology developed specifically for the Apollo-11 mission, we now have computer circuits, liquid-cooled garments for race drivers and firefighters, and better insulation for our homes.</p>
<p>Innovation builds on innovation, the internet wouldn&rsquo;t have been possible without the first computers, today&rsquo;s smartphones wouldn&rsquo;t exist without the giant mobiles of the nineties. 5G is already a reality, building on existing 4G and 3G technology.</p>
<p>As battery technology has allowed us to store more power in smaller cells, we can now carry computers in our pockets, our cars can drive for miles on a single charge, and we can&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/the-future-of-renewable-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">harness the power of the sun</a>&nbsp;more efficiently than ever.</p>
<h2><strong>Technology Of The Future</strong></h2>
<p>We are seeing new technology being developed at a prodigious rate. Companies invested $11.1 trillion into digital transformation last year, with more importance being placed on cloud storage, data capture and analysis, and machine learning.</p>
<p>Technology which is commonplace today like AI and&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/new-3d-printing-techniques-could-change-engineering" target="_blank" rel="noopener">additive manufacturing</a>&nbsp;was the stuff of science fiction at the start of the century, but will have a huge impact in the most important areas of our society: energy, aviation, aerospace, transport, and medicine.</p>
<p>Over the next five years, we&rsquo;ll likely see more AI and&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-the-internet-of-things-will-expand" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IoT-enabled devices</a>&nbsp;and objects in our homes and workplaces. Facebook,&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-20-years-of-google-has-changed-technology-and-engineering" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Google</a>, and Youtube already use AI in their products. Over the next few years, these AI systems will become more refined, more accurate, and more prevalent in our everyday lives.</p>
<p>Leading on from this, robotics is of course an ever-accelerating field of study. Robots are becoming smarter, more dextrous, and are increasingly able to understand the human world. Over the next decade we&rsquo;ll see more and&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/3-ways-robotics-will-change-in-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more robots in the workplace</a>, but also on our streets. Thanks to machine learning, soon robots won&rsquo;t have to programmed for one specific task: they&rsquo;ll be able to learn on the job.</p>
<p><a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/will-blockchain-survive-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Blockchain</a>&nbsp;is another technology poised to revolutionise how we handle data,&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/new-design-could-revolutionise-communications-systems" target="_blank" rel="noopener">communications</a>, and cyber security. While the technology has primarily been used for cryptocurrency, it could be applied to provide secure end-to-end communications, unreadable by anyone other than the sender and the intended recipient.</p>
<p><a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-quantum-technology-will-change-engineering" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quantum</a>&nbsp;computing has only become a possibility thanks to decades of innovations, research, and engineers striving for more powerful computers. Using concepts originally developed in theoretical physics, quantum computing utilises subatomic particles&rsquo; ability to exist in more than one place at any given moment. This means operations can be done faster, using less energy, making the computer more efficient. We&rsquo;ll likely see quantum computers becoming more frequent by the end of the decade, making older models obsolete.</p>
<h3><strong>What Does This Mean For Engineering?</strong></h3>
<p>Engineering is currently in the middle of a&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/precision-engineering-skills-shortage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">skills shortage</a>. New technology is constantly being created, and old systems are always being improved, meaning there is an increasingly high skill ceiling for engineers.</p>
<p>Engineers who have been in the industry for five years may already have skills on obsolete systems, materials, or designs. Engineers who have been in the field for fifteen years likely have gaps in their knowledge that would require training to keep up with new apprentices and graduates.</p>
<p>The level of technological innovation is currently moving faster than we&rsquo;re training new engineers, meaning we&rsquo;re heading to a point where there aren&rsquo;t enough qualified professionals to work on the newest systems.</p>
<p>This can only be addressed by getting more young people into engineering, and training those already in the field to work on the newest technology.</p>
<p>Technical recruitment companies are one of the best way engineering companies can stay ahead of the skills shortage, ensuring they have the very best talent to keep building the technology of the future.</p>
<p>Here's&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-the-engineering-industry-will-change-by-2050" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how the engineering industry will change by 2050</a>, or learn&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/what-rapid-technological-change-means-for-recruitment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how technological change is making technical recruitment easier</a>.&nbsp;</p>

Technological Progress Since The Moon Landing (And How That Helps Engineering Today)

<h1><strong>How Electricity Changed Engineering:</strong></h1>
<p>The discovery of electricity allowed mankind to harness vast amounts of energy, powering new technologies which improved lives around the world. It was one of the driving forces behind the second industrial revolution, and allowed for huge leaps forward in the fields of transport, heating, lighting, and communications.</p>
<h2><strong>The Discovery of Electricity:</strong></h2>
<h3><strong>Ancient Knowledge of Electricity and Lightning</strong></h3>
<p>Human knowledge of electricity has been around since at least 2750 BCE, thanks to electric shocks from certain fish. Ancient Egyptian texts refer to these as &lsquo;Thunderers of The Nile.&rsquo; Ancient Greeks would later learn that the shocks from these fish could be carried along conducting objects. Sick people were often encouraged to touch the fish, in the hope that a shock would cure them.</p>
<p>There have also been discoveries of ancient &lsquo;batteries&rsquo; in Persia and Baghdad. Clay pots with sheets of copper and an upright iron rod may have been used to generate power, but what for is currently unknown. &nbsp;</p>
<h3><strong>William Gilbert</strong></h3>
<p>The word &lsquo;electric&rsquo; comes from William Gilbert&rsquo;s treatise &lsquo;On The Magnet&rsquo;, published in 1600. Written in Latin, he coined the term &lsquo;electricus&rsquo;, coming from the Greek word elektron, meaning amber. When rubbed, amber can attract light objects towards it, and Gilbert believed this to be linked to magnetism. We now know this was static electricity.</p>
<h3><strong>Otto von Guericke</strong></h3>
<p>Von Guericke was inspired by Gilbert&rsquo;s work, and would go on to invent the first vacuum, a vital step for the study of electricity. In 1660, he would create the first static generator.</p>
<h3><strong>Benjamin Franklin</strong></h3>
<p>American Founding Father Benjamin Franklin firmly established the link between lightning and electricity in 1752, when he famously ran around in a thunderstorm with a key tied to a kite. He would later develop the lightning rod &ndash; the first practical application for electricity.</p>
<h3><strong>Alessandro Volta</strong></h3>
<p>In 1800, Alessandro Volta created the first battery, known as the Voltaic pile, which provided the world&rsquo;s first steady electrical charge. The scientific unit &lsquo;volt&rsquo; is named after him.</p>
<h3><strong>Michael Faraday</strong></h3>
<p>The first electric motor was invented by Michael Faraday in 1831. He also invented the Faraday cage, a protective structure that negates electromagnetic forces.</p>
<h3><strong>James Clerk Maxwell, creator of Maxwell&rsquo;s Equations</strong></h3>
<p>James Clerk Maxwell was a 19<sup>th</sup>&nbsp;century scientist, and is widely considered the father of electrical engineering.</p>
<p>His equations showed that electricity, light, and magnetism are all different manifestations of the same phenomenon: electromagnetism.This would lead to the invention of television.</p>
<h3><strong>Nikola Tesla</strong></h3>
<p><a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/nikola-tesla-engineering-industry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nikola Tesla</a>&nbsp;is one of the most important figures in the history of electricity. He worked on Alternating Current (AC), which would become the industry standard.</p>
<h2><strong>Practical Applications of Electricity:</strong></h2>
<p>The advent of electric power allowed for massive leaps in technological capability, and ushered in an age where every home could have power. This led to new inventions that changed how people could work and communicate.</p>
<h3><strong>The Telegraph</strong></h3>
<p>One of the first inventions that was facilitated by electricity was the Telegraph, which allowed people to send messages over long distances across a wire. It was invented by Samuel Morse, who also invented the Morse Code.</p>
<h3><strong>The Telephone</strong></h3>
<p>The telephone was invented in 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell. This revolutionised how people communicated, and allowed for huge leaps forward in global trade.&nbsp;</p>
<h3><strong>Electric Light</strong></h3>
<p>The first incandescent light was invented by Thomas Edison in 1879. He would create one of the first electric generating plants in New York a few years later, which would create a huge demand for skilled electrical workers.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The history of electricity is full of fantastic inventions and famous engineers. One of the most important and significant developments in human history, electric power has changed all of our lives.</p>
<p>Read about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/why-nuclear-reactors-are-getting-smaller" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the future of energy</a>, or learn about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-engineering-impacts-every-part-of-modern-life" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how engineering impacts every area of modern life</a>.</p>

History of Engineering: Electricity

<p>The field of aviation owes much to Lawrence Hargrave, a pioneering engineer who invented the rotary engine, the cambered aerofoil, and the box-kite, which inspired the Wright Brothers. Without his work, we wouldn&rsquo;t have had the first powered planes.</p>
<h1><strong>Who Was Lawrence Hargrave And How Did He Change Aviation?</strong></h1>
<p>Born in England in 1850, Hargrave was just fifteen when he emigrated to Australia. In 1867 he began an engineering apprenticeship at the Australasian Steam Navigation Company. He would work there for five years, learning skills that would later prove invaluable to his experiments with flights.</p>
<p>He would go on to work as an engineer on several exploration expeditions. While travelling, he made detailed notes and observations of indigenous people, their language, and their culture.</p>
<p>In 1877 he returned to Sydney, where he became an extra observer at the Sydney Observatory, working on charting the transit of Mercury, and observing the impact of the eruption of Krakatoa on the atmosphere.</p>
<p>After receiving a large inheritance, he left the observatory to begin working on experiments into animal motion as a method of propulsion. He closely studied the flight of birds and insects, and began modelling aircraft based on their bodies.</p>
<p>He built a number of ornithopters testing his theories on locomotion through the air. An ornithopter is an aircraft that moves through the air by flapping wings, like a bird.</p>
<p><a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/historical-figures-in-engineering-leonardo-da-vinci" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Da Vinci</a>&nbsp;sketched one as far back as the 16<sup>th</sup>&nbsp;Century, and have actually built one, but Hargrave improved upon the concept with increased stability.</p>
<h2><strong>Hargrave's Rotary Engine and Box-Kite</strong></h2>
<p>In 1889, Hargrave invented the rotary engine, utilising compressed air which would have in theory allowed for powered flight. However, he was unable to build an engine that could achieve powered flight due to the weight of the materials. The rotary engine would of course go on to be instrumental in aviation, allowing for fighter planes to be utilised in World War One. While the technology was largely redundant by the end of the 1920s, it provided a basis for future flight systems that would be crucial in the development of the aviation industry.</p>
<p>Hargrave didn&rsquo;t patent any of his inventions, choosing instead to disseminate the information around the world to help the emerging field of aviation engineering. Because of this, he become well-known and respected throughout the industry, corresponding with many of the leading figures in the field of aviation at the time.</p>
<p>Hargrave began experimenting with box kites, and on November 12<sup>th</sup>&nbsp;1894 achieved tethered &lsquo;flight&rsquo; 16 feet in the air over Stanwell Park Beach. The stability of the box kite allowed improvements to be made to gliders, and the first successful aircraft in Europe owes much to Hargrave&rsquo;s box kite design. The box kite design was quickly utilised by the United States&rsquo; Weather Bureau for meteorological observations.</p>
<p>Many of his models, diaries, and letters, now reside in the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, Australia. His portrait was proudly displayed on the Australian $20 note between 1966 to 1994. &nbsp;</p>
<p>Learn&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-plane-design-is-changing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how plane design is changing</a>, or read about another&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/historical-figures-in-engineering-abbas-ibn-firnas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">historical figure in aviation engineering</a>: Abbas-Ibn-Firnas.</p>

Historical Figures In Engineering: Lawrence Hargrave

<p>Humans have been flying for over a hundred years, thanks to the invention of the first airplane by the Wright Brothers in 1903. However, one engineer managed to achieve heavier-than-air flight a thousand years earlier.</p>
<h2><strong>Who Was Abbas Ibn Firnas:</strong></h2>
<p>Born Abu al-Qāsim Abbās ibn Firnās in 810 in what is now Malaga, he was given an extensive education as a child. In adulthood, he came to the city of Cordoba and worked as a scientist, inventor, poet, alchemist, and astrologer. He became so well known that he was given the title of Hakim Al-Andalus (the Wiseman of Al-Andalus).</p>
<p>He may have been the first person in Europe to make use of the Sindhind Astronomical Tables of India, which would later go on to influence European science and be studied in universities.</p>
<p>He also developed alchemical processes for creating crystals from different minerals. He devised and built the first armillary sphere in Europe, designed to perform calculations to help astronomical observations. He would go on to design a fully-working planetarium in his own house, complete with sound and visual effects.</p>
<h1><strong>How Did Abbas Ibn Firnas Change The History of Flight:</strong></h1>
<h3><strong>He Invented The First (Moderately) Successful Parachute</strong></h3>
<p>In 852, he leapt from the tower of Cordoba&rsquo;s Mosque, testing his version of what we would know as a parachute. Made of canvas, it slowed his fall enough to prevent him from dying, but according to some accounts he did break some bones.</p>
<p>This didn&rsquo;t deter him however, as the experiment proved it was in fact possible to slow the rate of falling. This meant he could refine his design, and theoretically remain airborne with a greater degree of control.</p>
<h3><strong>He Pioneered Flight</strong></h3>
<p>In 875 he designed what we would now recognise as a glider. Built out of wood and silk, it has a wingspan of four or five metres. Silk was the strongest and lightest fabric at the time, making up the fastenings, as well as covering the wings, which were also covered with eagle feathers.</p>
<p>He was suspended underneath via a harness system, and he could control the wing movements with handles.</p>
<p>He took off from a hill, and while historical accounts differ on how long he was airborne, it would seem he did stay aloft for approximately two minutes. Unfortunately, there was no way for him to control his speed, so upon landing the glider was damaged and Ibn Firnas himself was injured. He had based the design of the glider on the bodies of birds, but later realised he hadn&rsquo;t included a tail &ndash; vital for control and landing.</p>
<p>An old man at that point, he never attempted flight again, although he inspired numerous others throughout history. The crater Ibn Firnas on the moon is named after him, as well as a bridge in Cordoba, where he spent most of his life.</p>
<p>This man pioneered techniques in aviation which wouldn&rsquo;t be fully realised for hundreds of years, taking risks that others would never had dared to attempt.</p>
<p>Learn about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-plane-design-is-changing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the future of plane design</a>, or read about another engineer who dreamed of flying,&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/historical-figures-in-engineering-leonardo-da-vinci" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Leonardo Da Vinci</a>.</p>

Historical Figures In Engineering: Abbas Ibn Firnas

<p>Lillian Evelyn Moller Gilbreth was an American psychologist and engineer, and was one of the first female engineers to earn a Ph.D. She was the first industrial/organisational psychologist, and greatly contributed to the field of industrial engineering. Called &lsquo;the first lady of engineering,&rsquo; her work would go on to change the field, and change lives around the world.</p>
<p>Born in 1878, she was home schooled until the age of nine. She graduated from university in 1900 with a degree in English Literature. She then went on to get a master&rsquo;s degree, and a Ph.D. in applied psychology.</p>
<h2><strong>Lillian Gilbreth&rsquo;s Industrial Psychology and Engineering Work</strong></h2>
<p>Gilbreth was the first person to recognise to importance of psychology in the world of engineering. Married in 1904, she and her husband ran Gilbreth, Incorporated, an engineering and consulting firm.</p>
<p>She was instrumental in realising that poor productivity in factories and workshops was more likely to be as a result of bad management or poor organisation than the fault of &lsquo;lazy&rsquo; workers. After her husband&rsquo;s death in 1924, she took over the business, looking to take on new clients.</p>
<p>She began filming engineer&rsquo;s workstations, which enabled her to make changes to them to allow for increased efficiency and less fatigue for the workers. Her study into fatigue was a forerunner to the field of ergonomics, and she was on of the first to recognise the impact of lack of sleep on workers. She began placing more and more importance on worker&rsquo;s mental wellbeing, not just the efficiency of the workplace.</p>
<p>Lillian studied how different types of jobs affect different types of people, realising that different people have different skills, psychologies, and aptitudes for certain roles. She would go on to develop systems to assign people to the jobs they would be best at, improving the efficiency of the company as a whole.</p>
<p>After she gained fame for improving efficiency, she began training at universities, including Purdue where she would eventually become a full professor. She was the first female professor at Purdue&rsquo;s engineering school, and taught there until her retirement in 1948.</p>
<h2><strong>Engineering Consultancy and Social Work</strong></h2>
<p>However, she never stopped consulting, and during the Great Depression she was asked by President Hoover to address unemployment. She helped launch the &lsquo;Share The Work&rsquo; programme, which created more job opportunities for the unemployed from already existing jobs.</p>
<p>She later consulted with General Electric, and her inventions include the shelf in fridge doors, and the foot-pedal bin. She interviewed over 4,000 women to improve the designs for stoves, sinks, and other kitchen fixtures. This focus on detail and quality informed all of her decisions and designs, making improvements that could only be made thanks to her unique approach.</p>
<p>Over her lifetime, she received many awards and accolades. She was the first female member of the Society of Industrial Engineers, the first woman to receive the Hoover Medal for distinguished public service by an engineer, and was the first female psychologist to have a United States postage stamp issued in her honour.</p>
<p>Her work impacted the lives of millions of people, improved workplace conditions, and made things easier for all of us in our everyday lives.</p>
<p>Learn&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/new-skills-engineers-will-need-in-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new skills engineers will need in 2020</a>, or read about how&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-engineering-impacts-every-part-of-modern-life" target="_blank" rel="noopener">engineering</a> impacts every area of modern life.</p>

Historical Figures In Engineering: Lillian Gilbreth

<p>The global renewable energy sector has been growing steadily over the last few years. Green energy production is growing in every sector, thanks to rising efficiency, falling costs, and concerns over global warming finally reaching businesses despite decades of evidence.</p>
<p>The prices associated with solar, wind, and hydroelectric energy are more stable than traditional fossil fuels, and these methods are helping to lower air pollution in the areas where they&rsquo;re most active. We know that a 100% green energy future is possible, and that the renewable energy market creates more jobs than the fossil fuel industry loses.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But how has renewable energy grown, and how will this technology change and develop in the future?</p>
<h1><strong>How the Renewable Energy Industry Has Grown</strong></h1>
<p>Renewable energy now accounts for a third of world&rsquo;s total energy capacity, around 2,351 Gigawatts. 171 Gigawatts of energy was added onto the grid in 2018, and 84% of this was generated through wind and solar energy. These are the two largest providers for clean energy, and are easy to produce at scale, and are becoming ever more attractive for both homes and businesses, as the cost per kWh continues to fall. This, coupled with the rising costs of fossil fuels as reserves dwindle, means that renewable energy sources are looking to be more and more prevalent as we move into a post-carbon future.</p>
<p>The total amount of solar energy available increased by 24% in 2018. This is thanks to the technology becoming cheaper, more efficient, and able to store greater amounts of power. The US has doubled its renewable energy capacity over the last decade, and much of this growth has come through solar power.</p>
<p>Asia is creating more renewable energy than anywhere else, responsible for 61% of new energy last year. China contributed 20 Gigawatts of energy through wind power alone, 40% of the total wind growth for 2018. China installed three and a half times more renewable energy than the European Union, leading the way for other countries looking to invest in renewables.</p>
<p>The EU is the second highest producer of renewable energy in the world, but it&rsquo;s level of production stalled in 2018. This is worrying, as the world needs to be creating higher amounts of green energy every year if the world is going to survive the drastic level of climate change that is currently wreaking havoc on our eco-systems.</p>
<h2><strong>How Renewable Energy Will Grow In The Future</strong></h2>
<p>According to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iea.org/newsroom/news/2019/may/renewable-capacity-growth-worldwide-stalled-in-2018-after-two-decades-of-strong-e.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IEA</a>, renewable capacity has to grow by 300 gigawatts per year until 2030 for the world to have any hope of reaching the Paris Agreement goals, and avoiding a climate disaster. This is worrying, as carbon emissions rose to their highest levels on record last year.</p>
<p>Currently, we&rsquo;re not creating enough renewable energy infrastructure to be able to generate the amounts of energy we&rsquo;re going to need.</p>
<p>Renewable energy will continue to grow as it has done over the last two decades, but should be encouraged and enabled by government incentives. This will ensure renewable growth in the private sector, and will make it easier for families to switch their power supply to an entirely renewable system.</p>
<p>This doesn&rsquo;t just make sense financially &ndash; it will make the difference between two very different futures.</p>
<p>Learn&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/why-diesel-sales-are-falling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">why diesel sales are falling</a>, or read more about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-ai-helped-design-a-new-material-for-wind-turbines-and-why-thats-important-for-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wind power</a>.</p>
<p>You can also check the&nbsp;<a href="https://homeairguides.com/reviews/top-10-best-rated-air-purifiers-buyer-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Top 10 Best Air Purifiers</a> on the market today.</p>

The Future Of Renewable Energy

<p>The UK Government has recently announced its&nbsp;<a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/746911/20180806-MOD_DI_Plan_A4_v14_Final-U.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Strategy for Diversity and Inclusion</a>&nbsp;until 2030. The plan outlines measures to bring in people from more diverse backgrounds, and explains why this would benefit the Defence sector and those who work within it.</p>
<h1><strong>Why Diversity Is Good For Defence</strong></h1>
<p>The defence sector inherently relies on the skills and experiences of those who work within it, a better team means better performance and security, and a deeper understanding of the people they&rsquo;re protecting.</p>
<p>Beyond that, Defence has a moral imperative to be as inclusive as possible, allowing people from all different backgrounds, races, religions, sexualities, and body types to work in the sector.</p>
<h2><strong>Benefits Diversity Brings To Defence:</strong></h2>
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Inclusivity Brings A Broader Range Of Viewpoints</h3>
</li>
</ul>
<p>One of the main benefits of having a more diverse organisation is that the decision makers will have different viewpoints, giving them a more solid foundation from which to make objective decisions. A team that can utilise their own experiences will be more prepared, and more able to deal with unexpected problems.</p>
<ul>
<li>
<h3>More Wide-Ranging Experience</h3>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Having people from different backgrounds means that your team has more total life experience than a team of people from similar backgrounds. If everyone on a team had the same experience, that team may as well be made up of one person. A team relies on having people from different walks of life, and as defence is a global concern, having a diverse team can help businesses and organisations work with others from around the world.</p>
<p>Diverse teams have higher levels of empathy and understanding, and will be more effective at resolving disputes, understanding the values at play for other cultures, and changing their tactics accordingly.</p>
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Diversity Increases Productivity</h3>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Teams and companies that have higher levels of diversity are able to solve problems faster, and will come up with more innovative solutions. In fact, diverse companies are 1.7 times more likely than non-diverse competitors to be innovative leaders in their markets, and are 70% more likely to capture new markets.</p>
<p>Increased diversity also means that you&rsquo;ll be more likely to have multi-lingual people in higher levels of the sector, allowing for more effective communication.</p>
<p>And lastly, companies with the highest levels of diversity bring in around 15 times more revenue than those with lowest levels of diversity.</p>
<h2><strong>Why Defence Workers Should Transition Into D&amp;I Roles:</strong></h2>
<p>People already working in the Defence sector are best positioned to move into D&amp;I schemes within the military, and other defence organisations and businesses. They understand the needs of the industry, the people that work in it, and the challenges it will have to face moving into the future.</p>
<h3><strong>Managing Diversity Is Rewarding</strong></h3>
<p>Managing diversity can be rewarding in an entirely new way for people used to Defence roles. Being involved in D&amp;I means dealing with people, and helping give opportunities to people who might never have had them before.</p>
<p>If you&rsquo;re interested in working in the Defence Industry or D&amp;I, contact&nbsp;<a href="https://www.v-hr.com/maxwell-davies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Maxwell Davies</a>.</p>
<p>Read more about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/7-reasons-people-dont-change-their-jobs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">why you should change your job</a>, or learn&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/what-do-recent-cyber-attacks-mean-for-uk-defence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how the UK Defence Sector can defend itself against cyber-attacks</a>.</p>

Why Diversity Makes Defence Stronger

<p>There is a massive gender imbalance in the field of engineering. The UK has the lowest percentage of women in engineering in Europe. Work is being done to rectify this, with the UK currently on track to have one million women working in STEM fields and industries by 2020. But even that number only makes up around&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wisecampaign.org.uk/statistics/2018-workforce-statistics/">22% of the total STEM workforce</a>, meaning much more has to be done.</p>
<p>In 2017 a Report on the State of Engineering in the UK concluded that we still have an estimated annual skills shortfall of up to 60,000, and our engineering sector will need to have as many qualified professionals as possible to ensure a strong economy over what is certain to be a turbulent decade.</p>
<p>This International Women&rsquo;s Day, VHR looks at how women can get into engineering, what opportunities there are, and what the sector can do to encourage more women to study and work in engineering.</p>
<p>But first, why are there so few women in engineering?</p>
<h1><strong>Why Is There Such A Gender Imbalance In Engineering?</strong></h1>
<p>One of the primary causes of the lack of women in engineering is how they&rsquo;re taught at primary school. Maths and science are still seen by some teachers and even parents as &lsquo;boys&rsquo; subjects, and girls aren&rsquo;t encouraged to study them.</p>
<p>This makes a huge difference in young girls&rsquo; confidence to pursue interests in science, reflecting in the lower levels of girls taking maths and science GCSEs and A-Levels.</p>
<p>Even at the professional level, there is still a sub-conscious, or even conscious, bias against recruiting women into engineering firms.</p>
<h2><strong>How To Get Into Engineering As A Woman</strong></h2>
<p>Women who do study STEM subjects, or take apprenticeships, can still struggle to find work as an engineer.</p>
<p>Joining women in STEM social groups, having networks of professional contacts on LinkedIn, and using specialist recruitment agencies can all help women start their engineering careers.</p>
<h2><strong>How The Engineering Industry Can Encourage More Women To Get Involved</strong></h2>
<p>To truly encourage more women to join the engineering industry, the industry itself will need to change. There is a fundamental misunderstanding about how broad the field of engineering is and the impact it has on the world.&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-engineering-impacts-every-part-of-modern-life" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Engineering impacts every aspect of our lives</a>, and will be crucial in addressing some of the biggest challenges facing our society and our planet over the next few decades.</p>
<p>Studies have shown that increasing the levels of diversity in a business increases innovation, and help provide different viewpoints.</p>
<p>Read more about the&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/skills-you-need-to-be-an-engineer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">skills you&rsquo;ll need to become an engineer</a>, or learn about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/women-in-engineering-how-2018-has-challenged-sexism-in-the-engineering-industry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how women challenged sexism in engineering</a>&nbsp;last year.</p>
<p>You can read about famous women in engineering like&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-hedy-lamarr-invented-the-internet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hedy Lemarr</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/historical-figures-in-engineering-ada-lovelace" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ada Lovelace</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/historical-figures-in-engineering-edith-clarke" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Edith Clarke</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/historical-figures-in-engineering-martha-coston" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Martha Coston.</a></p>

Why Engineering Needs More Women

<p>Iron was one of the most important and revolutionary materials in human history, leading to the iron age, and technological expansion and modernisation. The transition from bronze to iron was one of the biggest changes in technology, allowing for more complicated engineering projects, and stronger weapons.</p>
<h1><strong>Why is Iron Important To Engineering:</strong></h1>
<p>Artefacts made from iron have been found dating from around 3000 BC in Egypt and Mesopotamia, at that time iron was too rare and expensive to be used in everyday life. Due to its difficulty to refine, it was believed to be incredibly rare, and was at one time worth roughly eight times more than gold.</p>
<p>It&rsquo;s believed that some of the first iron used by humans came from meteors, some of which are made up almost entirely of iron. Almost one third of the earth&rsquo;s mass is made up of iron, much of which came from space. Iron can be found in the hearts of supergiant stars, which are so hot they&rsquo;re able to fuse iron from silicon. This takes more energy than it gives off, meaning the star is in the final stage of its life before going supernova, which sends iron and other elements off into space. Over time iron will form into a larger body, such as an asteroid or a meteor.</p>
<p>The circulation of liquid iron beneath the earth&rsquo;s surface is what gives the planet its magnetic field. Iron was the first magnetic metal discovered, and was a fascinating property for early scientists to experiment with. Lodestones were used by navigators as early as 600 BC, as they could be used as crude compasses.</p>
<p>Despite knowledge existing across different societies of how to use and refine iron, the iron age didn&rsquo;t begin until around 1200 BC. Iron is much harder to forge into metal than copper or bronze because it requires a much hotter fire. However once this was understood, it meant that iron became more widespread as it was discovered to be more plentiful. It suddenly became easier to get than bronze, and made stronger, sharper tools and weapons. By around 1000 AD, temples in India were already being constructed using iron beams.</p>
<p>The origin of the chemical symbol Fe is from the Latin word &lsquo;ferrum&rsquo; meaning iron. The word iron itself comes from &lsquo;iren&rsquo; in Anglo-Saxon. The element is crucial to life on earth, in plants it can be found in chlorophyll, in animals it can be found in haemoglobin which carries oxygen around the body. In fact, our blood is red because of the interaction between iron and oxygen in our blood.</p>
<p>Nowadays iron is still perhaps the most important metal in the world, accounting for about 90% of all metal production on the planet. Used to alloy steel, the metal is still used in manufacturing and construction projects every day. Twenty times more iron is used than all other metals put together.</p>
<p>Read more about&nbsp;<u><a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/history-of-engineering-the-wheel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the history of engineering</a></u>, or learn about&nbsp;<u><a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/3-materials-that-will-change-engineering" target="_blank" rel="noopener">materials that will change engineering</a></u></p>

History of Engineering: Iron

<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The wheel is frequently cited as the most pivotal invention of mankind, allowing for further travel, the transportation of goods, and eventually motorsport.</p>
<h1><strong>The History of The Wheel</strong></h1>
<p>We tend to think that we stood up, walked out of our caves, discovered fire, and then invented the wheel. Several other crucial inventions actually predate the wheel, including rope, basket weaving, and boats.</p>
<p>While the concept of the wheel may seem simple to us today, the engineering required to make one thousands of years ago was actually very complex. The wheel must have an axle that it rotates around. This is achieved by fitting the axle directly in the centre of the wheel to maximize potential motion. In addition, the axle and the hole alignment must be perpendicular to reduce friction.</p>
<p>Furthermore, the axle should remain as thin as possible to reduce its surface area while still being able to support the load. From here, the only friction to overcome is that between the inner wheel and the axle. The smoother the inner surface of the wheel, and the outer surface of the axle, the less friction the system has to overcome.</p>
<p>Not only do all these parameters have to be met for this structure to work, but all at the same time, hence why the invention of the wheel was such a revolutionary moment.</p>
<p>Evidence suggests the wheel was in use around 3500 BC in Mesopotamia. The oldest wooden wheels have been discovered in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and date back to 3200 BC. It&rsquo;s believed that they were first used for chariots around this time.</p>
<p>The concept of the wheel is present in ancient Greek and Roman mythology, as the wheel of fortune belonging to the Goddess of Fate Fortuna.</p>
<p>The Egyptians were the first to use the spoked wheel in 2000 BC, allowing for much faster speed. From there, the wheel was largely unimproved until the 19<sup>th</sup>&nbsp;Century when Robert William Thompson invented the pneumatic tyre, a rubber wheel using compressed air, which would pave the way for the tyres we use today.</p>
<h2><strong>Uses of The Wheel</strong></h2>
<p>The wheelbarrow was invented in Greece at some point between the sixth and fourth centuries BC, appeared in China four centuries later, until eventually ending up in Europe after making its way through the Islamic world.</p>
<p>The camel saddle was invented between 500 and 100 BC, and camels overtook the wheel as the standard mode of transportation in the Middle East and Northern Africa between the second and sixth centuries AD. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the conditions of the roads declined leading to wheeled transport being abandoned in favour of more traditional mounts.</p>
<p>However in subsequent centuries the wheel found a resurgence thanks to exploration expeditions over large parts of the world.</p>
<p>One man actually did succeed in re-inventing the wheel. John Keogh, a patent lawyer in Australia, submitted a patent application for a &lsquo;circular transportation facilitation device&rsquo; in 2001, just after Australia had introduced a new streamlined patent system which operated without oversight by trained patent lawyers. His &lsquo;invention&rsquo; was successfully patented, thus proving his point that more work was needed on the system.</p>
<p>Read about the&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/the-history-of-the-submarine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">history of the submarine</a>, or learn about historical figures in engineering like&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/historical-figures-in-engineering-leonardo-da-vinci" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Leonardo Da Vinci</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/historical-figures-in-engineering-imhotep" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Imhotep</a>.</p>

History of Engineering: The Wheel

<p>Edith Clarke was one of the first female electrical engineers, whose work would provide instrumental in revolutionising&nbsp; the US telephone system, saving lives through her engineering work in World War I, and becoming the first woman to get an engineering degree from MIT, and the first female electrical engineer in America.</p>
<p>Born in 1883, Edith had a difficult childhood, with both parents being dead by the time she was 12. She used her inheritance to study mathematics and astronomy at Vassar College when she was old enough to study.</p>
<h1>Edith Clarke's Electrical Engineering Work</h1>
<p>From there, she went on to teach mathematics and physics at a private school in San Francisco, but her real passion was engineering. In 1911, she enrolled as a civil engineering student at the University of Wisconsin. During this time, she took a job as a &lsquo;human computer&rsquo; at AT&amp;T, solving complex mathematical equations. She was part of the team to work on the first transcontinental phone line.</p>
<p>She enjoyed the work so much she quit school and went to work full-time, eventually becoming the manager of a group of women engineers who would make calculations for the Transmission and Protection Engineering Department during World War I.</p>
<p>While working at AT&amp;T she studied electrical engineering part-time at Columbia University. In 1918 she left to study electrical engineering at MIT, one of the most prestigious institutions in the world. In 1919 she was the first woman to graduate from the university with a degree in electrical engineering.</p>
<p>From there she went on to become the first female electrical engineer in the country, working for General Electric. She spent the next 25 years working at General Electric, and in 1921 she invented &lsquo;The Clarke Calculator&rsquo;, a graphical device&nbsp;<a href="https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/plugged-in/the-engineer-who-foreshadowed-the-smart-grid-in-1921/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">that simplified the equations electrical engineers needed to understand power lines</a>. The hyperbolic functions involved were incredibly complex, and took many manhours to work through before the invention of this calculator.</p>
<p>In 2015, Edith Clarke was inducted into the National Inventor&rsquo;s Hall of Fame thanks to her creation of The Clarke Calculator.</p>
<p>Between 1923 and 1951 Edith published 18 technical papers, two of which received rewards from the American Institute of Electrical Engineers. She would also be the first woman to present one of her papers at a meeting of the AIEE, entitled &lsquo;Steady-State Stability In Transmission Systems.&rsquo;</p>
<p>This paper was of critical national importance. At the time, transmission lines were getting longer, and with longer lines came greater loads and more chances for system instability. Unfortunately, the mathematical models available at the time applied only to small systems. Edith applied a mathematical technique called the method of symmetrical components to model a power system and its behaviour. This permitted her and other engineers to determine characteristics essential to analysing large systems.</p>
<p>She later became the first female voting member of the AIEE in 1948.</p>
<p>In 1947 she became the first female electrical engineering professor in America, at the university of Texas.</p>
<p>Her contributions to field of electrical engineering cannot be overstated, allowing for incredibly complex equations to be solved decades before commercial computers as we know them today.</p>
<p>Learn about other&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/women-in-engineering-how-2018-has-challenged-sexism-in-the-engineering-industry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">women in engineering</a>, like&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/historical-figures-in-engineering-ada-lovelace" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ada Lovelace</a>, or&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-hedy-lamarr-invented-the-internet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hedy Lemarr</a>. &nbsp;</p>

Historical Figures In Engineering: Edith Clarke

<h2><strong>Who was Ada Lovelace?</strong></h2>
<p>Ada Lovelace was an English mathematician in the 19th century, who has since been called the first computer programmer.</p>
<p>Initially educated by private tutors but then self-taught, Augusta Ada Byron was fiercely interested in mathematics and would work on Charles Babbage&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="http://collection.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects/co62245/babbages-analytical-engine-1834-1871-trial-model-analytical-engines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Analytical Engine</a>, creating what was essentially the first computer programme.</p>
<p>Born in 1815 as the only legitimate child of Lord Byron and his wife Anne Milbanke, she was ill for most of her childhood, often confined to her bed. Her tutor at the time, Augustus de Morgan, worried that her health would suffer further if she studied too hard. Morgan said, &lsquo;The very great tension of mind which [mathematics] requires is beyond the strength of a woman&rsquo;s physical power of application.&rsquo;</p>
<p>Here&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/women-in-engineering-how-2018-has-challenged-sexism-in-the-engineering-industry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How 2018 Became the Year of the Female Engineer</a>.</p>
<h1><strong>Why Ada Lovelace Is So Important To Engineering</strong></h1>
<p>At age twelve, Lovelace decided she wanted to be able to fly. In 1828, she went about constructing wings which she modelled on birds, attempting to perfect the size and ratio based on anatomical drawings. She considered using different materials such as silk, paper, wire and feathers.</p>
<p>Ada Lovelace had been introduced to Charles Babbage earlier in 1833 by her tutor Mary Somerville. Babbage, who would later go on to be known as &lsquo;the father of computers&rsquo; was a mathematician and inventor who designed the first mechanical computer which he called the Analytical Engine. While he never actually completed the machine, Ada still managed to create an algorithm which could compute Bernoulli numbers. This would have worked had the Analytical Engine ever been completed.</p>
<p>Ada Lovelace was also the first person to conceive of computing power being applied beyond just mathematics:</p>
<p>&lsquo;[The Analytical Engine] might act upon other things besides&nbsp;number, were objects found whose mutual fundamental relations could be expressed by those of the abstract science of operations, and which should be also susceptible of adaptations to the action of the operating notation and mechanism of the engine...Supposing, for instance, that the fundamental relations of pitched sounds in the science of harmony and of musical composition were susceptible of such expression and adaptations, the engine might compose elaborate and scientific pieces of music of any degree of complexity or extent.&rsquo;</p>
<p>Read our&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/white-paper-how-to-get-more-women-into-engineering" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Report on How to Get More Women into Engineering</a>.</p>
<h2>Paving the Way for Women in Engineering</h2>
<p>Ada Lovelace was passionate about both science and poetry, which informed both her worldview and her thought processes, having written the following while discussing differential calculus:</p>
<p>&lsquo;I may remark that the curious transformations many formulae can undergo, the unsuspected and to a beginner apparently impossible identity of forms exceedingly dissimilar at first sight, is I think one of the chief difficulties in the early part of mathematical studies. I am often reminded of certain sprites and fairies one reads of, who are at one's elbows in&nbsp;one&nbsp;shape now, and the next minute in a form most dissimilar.&rsquo;</p>
<p>Ada Lovelace Day is celebrated on the second Tuesday of October, which also raises the profiles of other women in STEM (Science, Technology, Mathematics and Engineering).</p>
<p>Learn more about other famous figures in Engineering History like&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-hedy-lamarr-invented-the-internet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hedy Lamarr</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/historical-figures-in-engineering-imhotep" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Imhotep</a>.</p>

Historical Figures in Engineering: Ada Lovelace

<p>Many industries offer exciting engineering and technical careers:&nbsp;</p>
<p>&middot;&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/what-its-like-to-be-a-f1-engineer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Formula One Engineers</a>&nbsp;are employed at the peak of their careers to work on cutting edge technology that will define the next generation of commercial cars.</p>
<p>&middot;&nbsp;<u><a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/latest-aerospace-technology" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aeronautics Engineers</a></u>&nbsp;send people into space and will help colonise other planets by the end of the century.</p>
<p>&middot;&nbsp;<u><a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-technology-is-changing-infantry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Defence Engineers</a></u>&nbsp;help keep people safe, building futuristic weapon systems and countermeasures.</p>
<p>&middot;&nbsp;<u><a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-quantum-technology-will-change-engineering" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quantum Engineers</a></u>&nbsp;are working at the very forefront of science that may take us into the next age of technology. All these engineering jobs require a high level of education, dedication and drive to succeed.</p>
<h1><strong>What Are the Best Careers For Engineering?</strong></h1>
<h3>1. F1 Engineering</h3>
<p>Being a Formula One Engineer means you travel all over the world, working on some of the most powerful vehicles ever made. Described as more of a lifestyle than a job, F1 Engineers are a tight-knit team responsible for repairing, maintaining and optimising F1 cars to ensure peak performance and a podium finish.</p>
<p>The pressure in F1 engineering comes from the time constraints: everything is on the clock. Engines and air intake systems must be energy-efficient and powerful enough to generate massive amounts of power in short amounts of time and maintain it throughout a race. Every inch of the chassis must be as aerodynamic as possible, the car body kept light without suffering penalties to velocity.</p>
<p>Despite the obvious need for as much speed as possible, safety is any F1 Engineer&rsquo;s number one priority. Ensuring the Formula One car generates enough downforce is vital to keeping it on the ground when things do wrong, and every part of the car must be stress-tested in the event of a crash.</p>
<p>Here are&nbsp;<u><a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/5-reasons-to-work-in-formula-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">5 Reasons to Work in Formula One</a></u>.</p>
<h3>2. Aeronautics Engineering</h3>
<p>Aeronautics Engineers are currently working on the&nbsp;<u><a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/what-the-next-generation-of-commercial-spacecraft-might-look-like" target="_blank" rel="noopener">next generation of spacecraft</a></u>&nbsp;which will begin taking tourists into space. After launch, the spacecraft technology will be refined so it can go further, allowing people to begin&nbsp;<u><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/sep/29/elon-musk-spacex-can-colonise-mars-and-build-base-on-oon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">colonising the moon</a></u>&nbsp;and later Mars.</p>
<p>Aeronautics technology requires a level of precision difficult to match in any other field, due to the inherent danger of going into space.</p>
<h3>3. Defence Engineering</h3>
<p>Defence Engineering relies on many different disciplines. Communications are vital: providing accurate intel in real-time can make the difference between life and death. Understanding threat vectors, and the nature of what might could launch an attack at any moment, is key to effective defence.</p>
<p>Defence Engineering requires constant monitoring of threats across the globe, and assets must be routinely upgraded to ensure nothing but the best capabilities.</p>
<p>Here are&nbsp;<u><a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/skills-you-need-to-be-an-engineer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">5 Skills You&rsquo;ll Need to Become an Engineer</a></u>.</p>
<h3>4. Quantum Engineering</h3>
<p>Quantum Engineering is a relatively new field. Still largely experimental, Quantum Engineers attempt to make practical technology that can be used in everyday life.</p>
<p>Can any one type of Engineering be considered as the pinnacle of such a complex and wide-ranging field? All Engineers are working to make the world a better place, using some of the most complicated and advanced technology to make improvements to our lives.</p>
<p>What type of engineering do you think is most important, or most exciting? Let us know at&nbsp;<u><a href="https://twitter.com/vhrofficial" rel=" noopener">@VHROfficial</a></u></p>
<p>Read more about&nbsp;<u><a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/what-its-like-to-work-in-formula-one" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What it&rsquo;s Like to Work in Formula One</a>&nbsp;</u>or discover&nbsp;<u><a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-to-start-a-career-in-aviation-engineering" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to Start a Career in Aviation Engineering</a></u>.</p>

Best Industries for Engineering Careers

<p>A Persian scholar and mathematician in the 9th Century, Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi translated many epic works of Greek and Indian mathematics and would go on to create algebra. We even get the word algorithm from his Latinisation of his name. A towering early figure in mathematics, many of his ideas are still used in science and engineering today.</p>
<h2><strong>Who Was Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi?</strong></h2>
<p>He was born circa 780 AD, to a Persian family in what is today Uzbekistan. After the Muslim conquest of Persia, Baghdad become the centre of scientific study in the region and drew in scholars from all over the world.</p>
<p>In around 820 AD Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi was made head librarian and astronomer at the&nbsp;<u><a href="http://1001inventions.com/house-of-wisdom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">House of Wisdom</a></u>&nbsp;in Baghdad, where he studied mathematics, geography, astronomy, cartography and translation. The House of Wisdom acquired and translated scientific and philosophical treatises, as well as published original research.</p>
<h1><strong>What Did Muhamma ibn Musa al-Kwarizimi Study?</strong></h1>
<h3>Astronomy</h3>
<p>He worked on tools like the&nbsp;<u><a href="https://www.rmg.co.uk/discover/explore/what-mariners-astrolabe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">astrolabe</a></u>&nbsp;and sundial and improved the understanding of the geography of the world through mathematics. His sundial could be used accurately from anywhere on earth and would be used in Mosques to determine the right time for prayer.</p>
<p>He also invented the quadrant, a tool to determine the time by observation of the sun and stars. His work in the field would revise the movements of the moon and the five known planets at the time, marking a turning point in Islamic astronomy. There is a crater on the far side of the moon named after him for these developments.</p>
<h3>Geography</h3>
<p>Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi worked to translate and improve the earlier work of Ptolemy, mapping out large parts of the known world at that time with improved and more accurate dimensions. He even managed to map cities in Africa, Asia and India, supervising a team of 70 geographers to create a map of the world that would be used for years.</p>
<h3>Algebra</h3>
<p>His book&nbsp;<u><a href="https://www.wdl.org/en/item/7462/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing</a></u>&nbsp;presented the first systems of linear and quadratic equations. Until the 16th Century this book was used as the main mathematical textbook in all European universities. The book introduced the concept of reduction: expressing and equation in its simplest form, completion: moving a negative quantity from one side of the equation to the other, and balancing: the subtraction of the same quantity from both side of an equation, which would prove revolutionary.</p>
<p>The book has since earned Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi the title of the father of algebra. Elements within the work can be traced from Babylonian mathematics of the early 2nd millennium BCE through Hellenistic, Hebrew, and Hindu treatises. All scientific work is a continuation of what has gone before, and this shows that he was acutely aware of the knowledge of other cultures and periods.</p>
<p>Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi was also responsible for the widespread adoption of the Hindu-Arabic numerical system throughout the Middle East and Europe, the numbers 0-9 that we take for granted today. Much of his work would form the basis for elements of computer science, and science and engineering today would be very different and considerably poorer without his pioneering work.</p>
<p>Read about other historical figures in engineering, like&nbsp;<u><a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/historical-figures-in-engineering-leonardo-da-vinci" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Leonardo DaVinci</a>&nbsp;</u>or&nbsp;<u><a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-hedy-lamarr-invented-the-internet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hedy Lamarr</a></u>.</p>
<p>Find out more about&nbsp;<u><a href="https://www.v-hr.com/client-area/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VHR&rsquo;s engineering recruitment services</a></u>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<u><a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/engineering-jobs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">apply for our engineering jobs</a>.</u></p>

Historical Figures in Engineering: Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi

<p>Imhotep was an advisor, architect, astronomer and structural engineer to Pharaoh Djoser of Egypt&rsquo;s Third Dynasty in the 27th century BC. He was the architect of the step pyramid built at the necropolis of Saqqarah in the city of Memphis. The oldest monument of hewn stone in the world, it stands 200 feet tall and is a testament to the knowledge and vision of its designer.&nbsp;</p>
<h1><strong>Who Was Imhotep?</strong></h1>
<p>His name translates to &lsquo;He Who Comes in Peace&rsquo;, and was a polymath of high esteem, also being a poet, mathematician, and physician. The first Egyptian&nbsp;<u><a href="https://www.ancient.eu/imhotep/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to be fully deified</a></u>, he was later worshipped as a god of medicine after his death. There are around 200 cures and techniques attributed to him 2,200 years before Hippocrates, the father of medicine.</p>
<p>Imhotep is thought to be the author of the Edwin Smith Papyrus, which outlines a hundred medical terms and describes various injuries and their treatments. Imhotep was one of the first physicians to believe diseases occurred naturally and were not judgements from the gods. The papyrus contains detailed descriptions of physical conditions, with their treatments rooted in practical science.</p>
<p>An inscription bearing his name was found on a statue of Djoser at the site of the pyramid, designating him as head of the sculptors and head of the seers. This was a sign of respect from Djoser, as previously only the names of the kings would be written on their tombs. Imhotep held many titles, starting life with little money or connections before working his way to the very top of Egyptian society.</p>
<h2><strong>How Imhotep Built the Step Pyramid</strong></h2>
<p>It is believed Imhotep began as a priest in the temple of Ptah, his understanding of the will of the gods making him the most qualified person to build the pyramid which would house the Pharaoh&rsquo;s body for all eternity. This was a new venture: previous Pharaohs were buried in mastabas, rectangular structures with a flat roof which were built over the underground chambers where the dead were buried.</p>
<p>The pyramid was constructed out of six masatabas built on top of one another. Imhotep changed the design to be square but had to redesign it to be rectangular. He also wanted to use stone instead of mud. This meant greater structural integrity and allowed him to build higher.</p>
<p>There were 13 false doors cut into the stone with a 750m long trench dug into the ground. These were to discourage visitors, who would have to be told how to enter the complex. There were also mazes built into the underground chambers to protect Djoser&rsquo;s body. 40,000 stone vessels of different shapes and sizes were also found beneath the pyramid, inscribed with the names of previous rulers.</p>
<h2><strong>Design of the Pyramids</strong></h2>
<p>The pyramid design was the tallest structure of its time and had a surrounding complex made up of a temple, courtyards, shrines, storerooms and living quarters for priests. Factoring in everything within the wall surrounding the complex, it was size of a city. These methods were used in later pyramids for other Pharaohs, but its is unknown whether Imhotep himself built these or if his designs were used by others emulating his style.</p>
<p>This is unsurprising, as the design and construction of the step pyramid stands as one of the most important milestones in architecture and engineering in human history.</p>
<p>Read about other historical figures in engineering, like&nbsp;<u><a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/historical-figures-in-engineering-leonardo-da-vinci" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Leonardo Da Vinci</a></u><a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/historical-figures-in-engineering-leonardo-da-vinci" rel=" noopener">&nbsp;</a>and&nbsp;<u><a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-hedy-lamarr-invented-the-internet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inventor of wi-fi Hedy Lamarr</a></u>.</p>

Historical Figures in Engineering: Imhotep

<p>Hedy Lamarr was an actress, icon, and inventor during the 20th Century, and has one of the most fascinating life stories of any Hollywood star.</p>
<p>Born as Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler in Vienna in 1913,&nbsp;<u><a href="https://www.hedylamarr.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hedy Lamarr</a></u>&nbsp;showed an interest in acting from a young age and won a beauty contest at age 12. During her childhood she would go on long walks in the woods with her father, who would explain how various machines worked. This is where her love of science began.</p>
<h2>&nbsp;</h2>
<h2><strong>How Hedy Lamarr Went From Hollywood to Engineering</strong></h2>
<p>Her big break came in 1933, when she starred in the now infamous&nbsp;<em>Ecstasy.</em>&nbsp;The film was publicly denounced by the Pope and banned in the US.</p>
<p>From there Hedy Lamarr went on to act on the stage, drawing the attention of the third richest man in Austria, an arms-dealer by the name of Friedrich Mandl. They married in August of 1933. He was significantly older, and a controlling husband.</p>
<p>Lamarr found this suffocating, and would eventually flee their castle home, Schloss Schwarzenau. Accounts vary of how she escaped: some say she disguised herself as a maid, others say she persuaded her husband to let her wear every piece of jewellery she owned to a dinner party, where she later slipped away, funding her escape to London by selling it all.</p>
<p>She would arrive in Hollywood in 1938, where she would go on to promoted as &lsquo;the world&rsquo;s most beautiful woman.&rsquo; Her screen named was taken from silent film star Barbara La Marr in an effort to distance herself from her real identity and her&nbsp;<em>Ecstasy&nbsp;</em>reputation. Her Hollywood debut was in&nbsp;<em>Algiers.&nbsp;</em>Allegedly she was so beautiful that when she first appeared on screen, audiences audibly gasped.</p>
<p>Despite having no formal engineering training, Lamarr took up, in her words, &lsquo;<u><a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/a54ac3da-5226-4b68-a07e-ca22f28dc4fa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tinkering</a></u>&rsquo; to stave off boredom while acting. She had a laboratory at her home, and in her trailer on set.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><strong>Hedy Lamarr's Engineering Inventions in WWII</strong></h2>
<p>In the 1940s Lamarr would work with composer George Antheil to support the Allied war effort. Concerned about the safety of her Jewish mother in Vienna, she was aware that Nazi submarines were engaged in destroying ships carrying refugees to America. She wanted to give the Allies the upper hand, and so had the concept of ships being able to communicate with their torpedoes.</p>
<p>The two of them worked to develop a torpedo guidance system that wasn&rsquo;t vulnerable to electronic jamming and discovered the basic principle for the &lsquo;spread spectrum&rsquo; or &lsquo;frequency hopping&rsquo; technology that would later be adapted into Bluetooth and wi-fi technology. It was a secure radio signal going from ship to torpedo that would change frequencies according to a complicated code, so German soldiers and scientists couldn&rsquo;t jam the signal.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><strong>How Hedy Lamarr Invented the Internet</strong></h2>
<p>The patent was granted in 1942; over 60 years before wi-fi would be widely adopted around the world. It wasn&rsquo;t put into place in World War II; in fact, Lamarr was told she&rsquo;d be better off selling war bonds. The technology first appeared on US Navy ships in 1962 during the Cuban missile crisis.</p>
<p>In 1997 she won the Electric Frontier Foundation Pioneer Award and was the first woman to win the Bulbie Gnass Spirit of Achievement Award, called the &lsquo;Oscars of Inventing&rsquo;, given to those whose achievements significantly contribute to society. In 2014 she was posthumously inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.</p>
<p>Sadly, to this day, neither Hedy Lamarr&nbsp;nor her estate have seen any money from the multi-billion-dollar industry her idea paved the way for. Whilst it may not be universally acknowledged that Hedy Lamarr invented the Internet, the U.S. military has publicly acknowledged her frequency-hopping patent and contribution to technology.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Learn more about other historical figures in engineering, like&nbsp;<u><a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/historical-figures-in-engineering-leonardo-da-vinci" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Leonardo Da Vinci</a></u>.</p>

How Hedy Lamarr Invented the Internet

<p>One of most famous geniuses of all time, Leonardo Da Vinci is an icon in the world of engineering, as well as art, sculpture, mathematics, and more. Born in 1452, Da Vinci studied as an apprentice painter and sculptor. Allegedly, his master gave up painting and sculpting when he saw what his apprentice could do.</p>
<p>In around 1483 Da Vinci moved to Milan and worked as an artist, architect, and engineer. He remained in Milan until 1499 when it was invaded by the French. From there, Da Vinci went to Florence, where he is believed to have painted the famous&nbsp;<a href="https://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/mona-lisa-portrait-lisa-gherardini-wife-francesco-del-giocondo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mona Lisa</a>. Leonardo kept the painting from 1503, when he started it, to his deathbed in 1519, trying to get every detail right.</p>
<p>During that period, Leonardo dissected the human eye and was able to understand that the center of the retina sees detail, but the edges see shadows and shapes better. If you look directly at the Mona Lisa smile, the corners of the lips turn downward slightly, but shadows and light make it seem like it&rsquo;s turning upwards. As you move your eyes across her face the smile flickers on and off. Leonardo Da Vinci spent much of his life wanting to be known as an engineer, put he was always primarily a painter in the eyes of his contemporaries. One of his paintings recently sold for $450 million.</p>
<p>From there Leonardo met Nicollo Machiavelli, who was negotiating the Florentine Republic&rsquo;s safety with warmonger Cesare Borgia. Machiavelli told Borgia about Leonardo, who then became Cesare&rsquo;s military engineer. During the eight months he worked for him, Da Vinci designed weapons and fortresses. A prototype crossbow designed by Da Vinci was actually reconstructed in 2002, but it did not work.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><strong>What Did Leonardo Da Vinci Contribute To Engineering:</strong></h2>
<p>Leonardo&rsquo;s defining trait was curiosity. He was infamous for being unreliable when it came to finishing commissions, instead focusing on learning as much as he could about another new topic. He was a master of many different fields and disciplines.</p>
<p>Da Vinci hypothesized that the world was much older than the Bible claimed due to the formation of fossils. He wrote extensively on anatomy, geography, flight, optics, and mechanics. He is said to have studied anatomy extensively to better learn about human features. His notebooks show sketches of muscle systems in the face and lips in amazing detail. He is credited with inventing the bicycle, as well as the airplane and the helicopter some 500 years ahead of their time. Bill Gates purchased one of his notebooks for&nbsp;<a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/look-inside-the-codex-leicester-which-bill-gates-bought-for-30-million-2015-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nearly $40 million</a>, and would include some of the pages as screensavers in a Windows program.</p>
<p>Yet we know surprisingly little about the man himself. His many notebooks were full of diagrams, questions to be answered, and ruminations on how the world worked, but precious few facts about who he was. One of the most famous examples of his character is of a man who would buy caged birds from the marketplace only to set them free. He would wear silks of purple and pink, and host lavish dinners for friends of all kinds. Leonardo himself was vegetarian and was deeply concerned with the welfare of animals.</p>
<p>His legacy as a renaissance man defines our idea of genius today. Leonardo Da Vinci&rsquo;s contributions to engineering, as well as the worlds of art and mathematics, are invaluable. He will likely remain as one of the greatest thinkers in human history.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Discover the&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/technical-industry-innovators-of-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">5 Engineering Innovations Set for 2019</a>.</p>
<p>Keep up to date with&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/tag/engineering-defence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the latest engineering trends and news</a>.</p>

Historical Figures in Engineering: Leonardo Da Vinci

<p>Engineering is a varied field, with many different disciplines and skills being utilised.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><strong>Here Are Five Of The Best Engineering Roles:</strong></h2>
<h3><strong>Design Engineer</strong></h3>
<p>With annual&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/design-engineer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">earnings estimated at &pound;50,000+,</a>&nbsp;and career prospects ranging from engineer to project management and consulting, design engineers rightfully earn their place as one of the top 5 engineering careers for engineers.</p>
<p>Technical, mathematical, design knowledge and skills make up the professional profile of a design engineer; they create innovative solutions to problems across a diverse range of industries.</p>
<p>Design engineers are involved in a project from beginning to end: from the initial concept, to design and development, to management of the project concerning materials, software, components and machinery. Successful Design Engineers have strong technical knowledge, as well as communication, problem solving, leadership and project management skills.</p>
<p>As well as salary and career progression, Design Engineering is a favourable career as working hours are typically 9am to 5pm within flexible working environments (at home or in an office). Are permanent job opportunities not what you&rsquo;re looking for? Short-term contracts are often&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/engineering-jobs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">available through recruitment agencies</a>.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3><strong>Quality Inspection</strong></h3>
<p>Quality Inspectors examine products and materials for defects or deviations from specifications; they ensure that the car will run properly for example. Despite skills shortages, employment growth is expected to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.truity.com/career-profile/quality-control-inspector" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rise by 6% between 2012 and 2022</a>; this reflects the continuing need to have quality assurance testing in a variety of manufacturing industries. Numerous jobs in the manufacturing industry are expected to multiply over the coming decade as workers retire; this makes Quality Inspection one of the top 5 engineering careers.</p>
<p>Some duties that Quality Inspectors typically do are:</p>
<ul>
<li>Monitor operations and production standards</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Recommend adjustments to the assembly or production process</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Inspect, test, or measure materials</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Measure products</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Accept or reject finished items</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Remove all products that fail to meet specifications</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Report inspection and test data</li>
</ul>
<p>Specific job duties and work environments vary across the wide range of industries in which these inspectors work: some inspectors will examine similar products for an entire shift, while others will examine a variety of different items.</p>
<p>Some skills that Quality Inspectors typically have are: mathematics, mechanical and technical skills - additional physical and strength and stamina are also desired. The top 10% of Quality Inspectors earn up to &pound;22 an hour and work full-time hours.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3><strong>CNC Programming</strong></h3>
<p>CNC Programming is a great engineering career pathway. A CNC programmer specialises in writing code to automate power driven machines that cut and finish metal, wood or plastic such as lathes, grinders and mills.</p>
<p>Employed by industries that involve manufacturing plastics or metal products that are to be sold, CNC Programmers top employers range from the automotive to the aeronautical and aviation industries. An employee&rsquo;s working week is typically full-time, spending all of their working hours in the manufacturing setting.</p>
<p>Unlike most other engineering careers,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.greatsampleresume.com/job-descriptions/cnc-programmer-job-description/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">it is possible to get a CNC Programmer job without a degree</a>. Though most employers prefer candidates to have a degree from a technical school in qualifications such as machine technology, precision machining, or CNC operations, a number of employers have their own training programs specifically for new hires to complete.</p>
<p>According to Glassdoor,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.jobhero.com/cnc-programmer-job-description/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the national median salary for CNC programmers</a>&nbsp;is &pound;41,100.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3><strong>Cyber Security</strong></h3>
<p>There certainly isn&rsquo;t a shortage of Cyber Security careers in the current job market; with the world-wide threat of cyber-attacks and data breaching steadily evolving, Cyber Security marks its place as one of the Top 5 Engineering Careers.</p>
<p>Cyber Security specialists specialise on understanding risks to the security of information or data. Analysing security breaches and repairing/strengthening systems against such breaches are what companies and organisations employ Cyber Security specialists for.</p>
<p>Career progression with the Cyber Security field is always evolving; there are many job roles dealing with different technical aspects. These roles do not, and cannot, exist in isolation of each other as it is likely that Cyber Security specialists will develop an understanding of the work in other areas.</p>
<p>Opportunities for self-employment do exist, however the majority of Cyber Security job roles are placed working for an employer. Consultants can be based anywhere and travel to meet clients, both nationally and internationally.</p>
<p>After 5 or more years of experience, preferably in a senior role, Cyber Security specialists can expect to earn an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/information-security-specialist" target="_blank" rel="noopener">annual income in the region of &pound;45,000 to &pound;80,000</a></p>
<p>Looking for average salaries across the engineering industries?&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/what-are-the-average-salaries-for-engineering-jobs-across-industries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click here for more information</a>.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3><strong>Aerospace Engineer</strong></h3>
<p>Want to travel around the world and work internationally? A career as an Aerospace Engineer will create great opportunities like these for candidates throughout their working life.</p>
<p>Aerospace Engineers are concerned with improving flight safety, fuel efficiency, speed and weight as well as reducing system costs and using advanced technologies; the role is increasingly addressing the environmental issue of air travel. As an Aerospace Engineer, candidates are responsible for the research, design, development and maintenance of civil and military aircraft, missiles, satellites and space vehicles.</p>
<p>Specialising in specific areas such as avionics, aerodynamics, materials and structures, an Aerospace Engineer has multiple career progression avenues to choose from. For example, progressing in to senior engineer positions or undertaking project management roles are some of the most popular, however, there&rsquo;s always an option to specialise in different areas of aviation &ndash; like training, lecturing or sales.</p>
<p>As an Aerospace Engineer, it&rsquo;s always possible to undertake sub-contract work, which allows an opportunity to experience the job in different companies and countries.&nbsp;Click here for current&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/engineering-jobs/tag/aerospace-aviation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vacancies&nbsp;in the aerospace industry</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Larger,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/aerospace-engineer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more renowned employers typically offer larger salaries</a>, ranging at the top end from &pound;45,000 to &pound;60,000+ annually; however, contracted candidates may earn more depending on the frequency of their work.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Learn <a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-recruiters-should-treat-candidates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how recruiters should treat you</a>, or learn&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-recruitment-can-help-you-get-a-promotion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how recruitment can get you a promotion</a>.&nbsp;</p>

Top 5 Engineering Careers

How Engineering Companies Can Get More Young People into Engineering

<p>Once hailed as the &lsquo;Wonder Metal&rsquo;, Graphene is now polarising scientists and industry leaders: could it revolutionise engineering, or is it more trouble than its worth?</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><strong>What is Graphene?</strong></h2>
<p>Graphene is a form of carbon composed of a hexagonal lattice of atoms in a honeycomb structure, and is the world's first 2D material. Hailed as&nbsp;<a href="http://www.graphene.manchester.ac.uk/explore/what-can-graphene-do/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>the &lsquo;wonder metal</u></a>&rsquo;, its many unique properties include:</p>
<ul>
<li>200 times stronger than steel</li>
<li>Ultra-light and very flexible</li>
<li>Thinnest material possible &ndash; only one atom thick</li>
<li>One of few superconductors that can block helium</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><strong>Why is Graphene so Important?</strong></h2>
<p>The stronger material ever tested, it delivers more power and support in smaller volumes than any other metal. Scientists and industry leaders reveal the following ways that graphene has the potential to change the engineering industry for good:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<h3><strong>Skills Shortages</strong>&nbsp;</h3>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Last year&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/precision-engineering-skills-shortage" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>22% of UK Manufacturing and Engineering businesses put skills shortages at the top of their agenda</u></a>, and UK businesses across industries will need to train 1.8 million people by 2025 to fulfil labour demands. If businesses and industries increase their reliance on &lsquo;wonder metals&rsquo; like graphene, the engineering industry will continually require broader ranges of skills. Currently untapped talent pools such as women and young people will be presented with opportunities to work on far-reaching projects and build successful and varied career paths in a fast-paced world, enhancing the attractiveness of the sector and helping to address the engineering skills shortage.</p>
<ul>
<li>
<h3><strong>Innovation</strong></h3>
</li>
</ul>
<p>The strong metal could be vital to the development of highly evolved technologies. The next few years could see the creation and mass-market adoption of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/17ce4316-080b-11e8-9650-9c0ad2d7c5b5" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>high-capacity batteries, flexible screens and flexible, durable and semi-transparent mobile phones</u></a>. Graphene could also transform the design and manufacture of aircraft wings, lightweight planes and electric performance vehicles. The increase of graphene use could revolutionise the ways that industries work and the quality of products and services that businesses can offer their customers.</p>
<ul>
<li>
<h3><strong>Global Health &amp; Wellbeing</strong>&nbsp;</h3>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Graphene could improve water purification technology in developing countries and provide more efficient desalination plants, delivering clean drinking water to millions of people globally. The technological advances brought about by graphene introduction could also see mass improvements to medical equipment, potentially saving and prolonging thousands of lives.</p>
<ul>
<li>
<h3><strong>The Future of Engineering</strong>&nbsp;</h3>
</li>
</ul>
<p>The introduction of graphene to mainstream engineering would open up the world to a variety of new experimental metals that could also be manufactured more cheaply and efficiently, enabling the industry to innovate and produce higher quality products at a higher volume for a reduced cost. It could also revolutionise space travel and our understanding of the universe, after its properties were tested in micro-gravity this week. Professor Andrea Ferrari, Science and Technology Officer and Chair of the Management Panel for the Graphene Flagship states, &lsquo;<a href="https://futurism.com/graphenes-properties-tested-micro-gravity-first-time/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>One of graphene&rsquo;s potential uses is space applications</u></a>, and this is the first time that graphene has been tested in space-like applications.&rsquo;</p>
<p>Despite the potential benefits, industry leaders continue to worry that the metal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/17ce4316-080b-11e8-9650-9c0ad2d7c5b5" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>currently costs a lot more money to implement</u></a>&nbsp;than to continue to use other metals. However with the potential border restrictions and added taxes that Brexit may present to British industries, graphene could result in a dramatic cost reduction for many UK engineering businesses.</p>
<p>The engineering world is so far divided over graphene, and the next few months will prove pivotal to the use of the wonder metal and its short-term and long-term impact on the engineering industry.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Learn more about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/the-next-generation-of-boat-building-buckypaper-graphene" target="_blank" rel="noopener">graphene</a>&nbsp;here.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Discover more of&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/tag/engineering-defence" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>the latest trends in the engineering industry</u></a>.</p>

Graphene: Wonder Metal or Unwanted Cost?

<p>This year&rsquo;s FormNext engineering &amp; manufacturing event&nbsp;in Frankfurt revealed mammoth strides in 3D Printing, along with a wealth of upcoming engineering innovations. Will the recent technological advances signal a new era of engineering?</p>
<p>The Institution of Mechanical Engineers reports that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imeche.org/news/news-article/wanted-265-000-new-engineering-employees-a-year" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>UK companies will need to hire 265,000 new engineers</u></a>&nbsp;every year for the next six years. Environmentally efficient vehicles such as&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-electric-vehicles-will-change-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>electric and autonomous cars</u></a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/rolls-royce-are-building-the-fastest-electric-plane-in-history" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>green airplanes</u></a>&nbsp;are increasing in popularity, opening up new opportunities for growth across industries and transforming business requirements for skilled labourers.</p>
<p>With engineering companies facing the prospect of recruiting for constantly evolving skillsets and serving a rapidly growing market of consumers, will new technology result in an engineering skills shortage or a welcome new era of engineering?<br><br></p>
<h1><strong>Strides in 3D Printing: A New Era of Engineering?</strong></h1>
<p>Technology has advanced more rapidly in the past 150 years than history ever predicted. The engineering industry is embracing new technologies and new methods and processes, with technology evolving to fit business, social and medical needs. Just this week a UCL laboratory is experimenting with printed children&rsquo;s medicines, 3D Printing offers customised prosthetics to reverse hearing loss, and &lsquo;living ink&rsquo; used in Switzerland sparks hope of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/964a2074-d8e6-11e7-9504-59efdb70e12f" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>creating 3D Printed human organs</u></a>&nbsp;to aid organ transplantation and save lives.</p>
<p>Traditional technology and engineering brands are also embracing new methods of engineering. Celebrating its 130<sup>th</sup>&nbsp;year of trading,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tctmagazine.com/3d-printing-news/kodak-3d-printing-indsutry-arrived/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>Kodak is developing a new 3D Printer</u></a>&nbsp;and will incorporate 3D Printing into is product range to offer the Kodak 3D Printing Filament.Whilst Brexit is negatively affecting some UK industries including Financial Services, many international engineering companies are investing in UK industry.&nbsp;<a data-insert="true">Autonomous vehicles are growing in popularity</a>, and last week&rsquo;s UK Autumn Budget awarded a &pound;2.3bn investment into research and development, positioning engineering as a close partner for the automotive and transport industries&nbsp;for the next two years.<br>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><strong>Engineering Skills Shortage: Inspiring a New Generation</strong></h2>
<p>Earlier this year 22% of UK manufacturing and engineering businesses put <a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/precision-engineering-skills-shortage" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>engineering skills shortages at the top of their agenda</u></a>. As more seasoned workers enter retirement, engineering businesses are tasked with attracting, engaging and retaining a younger and more diverse talent pool of potential technical workers. How can UK engineering companies recruit the technical skills they need?</p>
<p>The UK engineering industry can look to business leaders in China for inspiration. Following the slow-down of growth in the Chinese economy, leaders are now looking to&nbsp;<a href="http://fortune.com/2017/12/05/china-tech-companies-design-growth/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>incorporate design methodologies into traditional engineering</u></a>&nbsp;and MBA education programmes. The Chinese government and industry experts believe that by approaching engineering in a different way, the country can stimulate productivity and growth by combining two previously opposing ways of thinking to create unprecedented levels of innovation.</p>
<p>To attract new talent into the industry, engineering companies can embrace new technology or new ways of working, or embark upon research into what really interests potential technicians in the engineering industry. Businesses leaders not already investing in 3D Printing and other new technologies won&rsquo;t necessarily miss out on the top talent &ndash; recruiting the best engineers simply requires an effective recruitment strategy that appeals to the needs of potential candidates and offers opportunities to learn.</p>

3D Printing vs Traditional Engineering: New Era of Engineering

<p>Born in a Serbian village, Tesla changed the world forever with his Alternating Current (AC), bringing electricity and light to all corners of the Earth. He established&nbsp;<a href="http://www.teslasociety.com/ac.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>the essential frame for electrical generation and distribution</u></a>&nbsp;in modern economy, still in use today.</p>
<h2><strong>Nikola Tesla: A Born Engineer</strong></h2>
<p>According to legend, Nikola Tesla was born in a Serbian village at midnight during an electrical storm which made his mother claim:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.iflscience.com/technology/10-fun-facts-you-may-not-have-known-about-nikola-tesla/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>&lsquo;He will be a child of light&rsquo;</u></a>. At the age of three, Tesla felt electricity for the first time by stroking the back of his cat and the experience fascinated him. By the age of six, he had designed his first rotating engine with whatever elements he could find in his garden. The young boy wanted to use the forces of nature to power mankind, and as a student in Austria would openly argue with his teachers who believed that Alternating Current was not possible. Young Tesla became so obsessed that he quit school and spent the next four years searching for an answer.</p>
<p>What exactly is Alternating Current? In the 19<sup>th</sup>&nbsp;Century Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, powered by Direct Current (DC) which transmitted energy and electricity. However, as DC relies on a power generator to send electrons through a wire in one direction, the resistance within the wire caused energy loss over time, and therefore could not power large geographical areas.</p>
<p>To power large areas and long distances required many generators positioned next to each other. Expensive and impractical, electricity could not yet be used in the way we do today. Edison&rsquo;s engine worked using the friction from two pieces of metal to create sparks, which became electricity; however, this same friction caused resistance and wasted energy. Edison was unable to find a solution.</p>
<p>Only Nikola Tesla found the answer. He claimed the idea of Alternating Current hit him in an instant, out of nowhere and in a flash. He proceeded to modify the DC motor by adding a copper cylinder in the middle that was separated from a larger metal ring. Sending current through the outer ring, he turned both parts into magnets, and by isolating the interaction of magnetic forces he was able to spin the inner cylinder.</p>
<p>For the first time energy could be transmitted without loss of power. In Tesla&rsquo;s model, the electrons travelled in more than one direction by vibrating back and forth. Alternating Current was discovered in 1882, two years before Nikola Tesla met Thomas Edison.</p>
<h2><strong>Tesla's Engineering Success</strong></h2>
<p>In 1884 Tesla arrived in New York to work for the Edison Company, where he met his hero. However, after only 6 months he left a broken man. Edison, while inventive, was more of a businessman than a scientist: he created technologies for the sole purpose of selling them, which didn&rsquo;t sit well with the budding engineer&rsquo;s views.</p>
<p>Edison deemed AC impractical for business, leaving Tesla to dig ditches in the streets of New York for the next two years, with no one willing to finance his ideas. However, history gave Tesla the last laugh: in 1888, George Westinghouse took a chance and funded Nikola Tesla&rsquo;s research and technology. When Westinghouse bought Tesla&rsquo;s patents, both men became rich and achieved enormous success. In time,&nbsp;<a href="http://mentalfloss.com/article/30140/acdc-tesla%E2%80%93edison-feud" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>AC became so successful that it ended Edison&rsquo;s DC business</u></a>.</p>
<p>In 1893 Tesla and Westinghouse powered the Colombian Exposition in Chicago. With only 12 dynamos, the exposition generated three times more energy than the whole city of Chicago. &nbsp;Months later the two won the contract to install generators in the Niagara Falls, creating enough energy to light up the whole north east of the USA.</p>
<p>Tesla became a universal star and, despite the inability to prove more radical ideas including a tower to communicate with Martians and taking photographs of thoughts, his inventions proved vital to the engineering industry of today. Nikola Tesla was the first to imagine and produce the technology that enables us to use the internet, Wi-Fi, mobile phones and satellites. Our advances in the Aerospace &amp; Aviation, Motorsport, Defence, Engineering and Marine industries would not be possible without the innovations of Tesla.</p>
<p>Towards the end of his life, Tesla infamously tried to design a death ray. Find out how close we are to developing&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-long-until-we-have-laser-guns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">laser guns</a>, or read about another pioneering figure in engineering history:&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/historical-figures-in-engineering-leonardo-da-vinci" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Leonardo Da Vinci</a>.&nbsp;</p>

Historical Figures In Engineering: Nikola Tesla

<p>Engineers are highly skilled and highly sought-after professionals. They&rsquo;re responsible for everything from infrastructure to car manufacturing, making the planes in the sky and the phone in your pocket. But in an ever-more competitive job market and AI and machine learning encroaching on entry-level jobs, what is the best way of becoming an engineer, or advancing your career by getting your next engineer job?</p>
<p>Engineers should consider brushing up on some skills that will help you remain employable, and increase your likelihood of getting a new job in the future. VHR outlines 5 ways to make yourself more employable as an engineer.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><strong>How to Get A Job as An Engineer</strong></h2>
<h3>1.&nbsp;<strong>Have A Strong CV</strong></h3>
<p>First and foremost, your CV must be strong if you want to be hired as an engineer. Your most up-to-date roles and projects will show what you&rsquo;re capable of and whether you&rsquo;re suitable for the role. Your level of education is also important, as well as when you were educated.</p>
<p>Engineering innovations are being developed all the time, so demonstrating you&rsquo;ve kept up with the industry and learnt new skills is vital to getting an engineering job. A good CV will highlight why you&rsquo;re perfect for the role and is the first step to landing your dream engineering job.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>2.&nbsp;<strong>Smart Dress</strong></h3>
<p>Next, when you do have an interview, give the best impression of yourself that you can. This usually translates to dressing smartly. You might believe your qualifications speak for themselves, that your projects are impressive and that your skills align perfectly with what your interviewer is looking for. You might be right.</p>
<p>But if you&rsquo;re not dressed smartly, and someone else comes in looking more professional than you, it will significantly damage your chances of getting the job &ndash; first impressions are instant and hard to change. Whilst in your current engineering job you might wear work uniforms or more casual clothing, investing in appropriate interview clothing will go a long way towards helping you get a job as an engineer.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>3.&nbsp;<strong>Design Skills</strong></h3>
<p>Depending on what type of engineering you work in, and what degree or training you received, you may not be as confident a designer as you could be. Maybe you&rsquo;ve never done any design work. However, you can always learn and improve.</p>
<p>Design doesn&rsquo;t require you to be a great artist, or to reinvent the wheel. Just taking some time to think about what you&rsquo;re working on and whether it could be improved either mechanically or aesthetically can lead to huge improvements. This kind of proactive thinking will set you apart from your colleagues and is worth including on your CV and mentioning in interviews.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>4.&nbsp;<strong>Writing</strong></h3>
<p>Next on the list of how to get a job as an engineer is your writing skills. Communication is one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/7-soft-skills-that-will-get-you-a-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener">top soft skills</a>&nbsp;you can have as a candidate. Written communication especially is becoming more prevalent, as all businesses seek to get their content on the web. Writing can help you with reports and presentations, and on your CV it will help you communicate the complexities of your skills and experience in a simple way.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>5.&nbsp;<strong>Coding</strong></h3>
<p>Many engineers will know code to some degree. Some will be fluent in most languages and others will only know simple commands. Whatever your knowledge of coding, it is becoming increasingly important in engineering, as the Internet of Things progresses and everyday items becoming connected to larger and larger networks. As apps that control our TVs, speakers and even heating systems become more prevalent, engineers may be expected to code as well as build. Even if you don&rsquo;t need to code at your current position, it&rsquo;s worth brushing up on your skills, and maybe taking an online course so you aren&rsquo;t left behind.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>6.&nbsp;<strong>Maintaining a Good LinkedIn Profile</strong></h3>
<p>LinkedIn has revolutionised the way we look for jobs. Maintaining a good profile, with an image, a large amount of connections and sharing relevant and interesting content will really help you stand apart from other candidates. Your potential employers will definitely look at your profile, so invest some time into cleaning it up and writing about what you do. You can also use LinkedIn to look for new engineering jobs.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>7.&nbsp;<strong>Using a Recruitment Agency</strong></h3>
<p>Last on the list of how to get a job as an engineer is using an engineering recruitment agency. Above all, if you&rsquo;re serious about getting a job as an engineer and moving up the career ladder, consider using a technical recruitment specialist.</p>
<p>Engineering and technical recruiters will have the most exclusive jobs and insider insight into how the industry works and how you can capitalise on your skills and experience. Engineering recruitment consultants know your industry as well as you do and will want to deliver the very best results for you. A good contact at a technical recruitment agency could set you up for all future positions and is a valuable relationship to build.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Read this if you&rsquo;re not sure if&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/should-i-quit-my-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener">you should quit your job</a>, read this to learn&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/10-words-to-include-in-your-cv" target="_blank" rel="noopener">what to include in your CV to make you more employable,</a>&nbsp;and then click here to see our top&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/engineering-jobs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">engineering jobs</a>.</p>

How to Get a Job as an Engineer

<p>Created in 2003 by technical engineers and experienced recruiters, VHR delivers a partner-orientated approach. We are passionate about the industries where we operate, the career-enhancing support we provide and the people with whom we work.</p><p>Whether one permanent vacancy or a team of contract specialists, VHR strives to deliver the best possible global staffing solutions.</p>

<span>21 Years</span> Experience Recruiting In The Engineering Sectors

<p>VHR is an international technical recruitment company providing solutions to the Aerospace &amp; Aviation, F1 &amp; Automotive, Engineering &amp; Manufacturing, Civils &amp; Infrastructure, Defence &amp; Security, Renewables &amp; Energy and Marine industries in 57 countries around the world.</p><p>Created in 2003 by technical engineers and experienced recruiters, VHR was created to deliver a partnership approach with ethics and collaboration at the heart of business.</p>

To be a recruitment company that finds the best solution for you.

<strong>Danny Brooks MBE</strong> <br>VHR's CEO

Interested in recruiting the best talent?

<p>Get in touch and one of our team will be get back to you shortly.</p>

<p>VHR finds talent needed around the world when unavailable domestically. We source, recruit and onboard high quality contract and permanent workers to short time scales, high volumes and specific requirements. We are passionate about the industries where we operate, the career-enhancing support we provide and the people with whom we work.</p>

Some Of The Aerospace &amp; Aviation Roles We Recruit For Include:&nbsp;

VHR provides contract and permanent recruitment, with staffing solutions tailored to suit requirements, to the Aerospace &amp; Aviation industry internationally.

<p>We work with global Airlines and world-leading Maintenance Repair Organisations (MROs), Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and other Aviation-related organisations to source and deliver engineering and technical staff across the world.</p><p>Led by qualified aerospace engineers together with recruitment industry professionals, VHR’s Aerospace &amp; Aviation expertise guarantees the technical understanding, service excellence and on-time delivery required for business growth and success.</p>

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<p>VHR is an international technical recruitment organisation providing solutions to the Aerospace &amp; Aviation, F1 &amp; Automotive, Engineering &amp; Manufacturing, Science &amp; Technology, Defence &amp; Security, Renewables &amp; Energy, Civils &amp; Infrastructure and Marine Industries around the world.</p><p>To protect our candidates, VHR works within the countries where we recruit. Our employees personally visit each country to perform welfare checks, assess candidates and ensure a positive experience for our contractors.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">VHR is a global technical recruitment organisation offering tailored solutions to the Aerospace &amp; Aviation, F1 &amp; Automotive, Engineering &amp; Manufacturing, Defence &amp; Security, Renewables &amp; Energy, Civils &amp; Infrastructure, and Marine industries worldwide.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">&nbsp;</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">To safeguard our candidates, VHR operates within the countries where we recruit. Our team personally conducts welfare checks, evaluates candidates, and ensures a positive experience for our contractors in each country. Additionally, in certain instances, VHR deploys dedicated Onsite Coordinators at client sites to provide ongoing support throughout the job.</span></p>

<p>Created in 2003 by former technical engineers and experienced recruitment consultants, VHR delivers a partner-orientated and consultative approach to technical recruitment.</p><p>Our team is led by former industry practitioners, including a world champion sailor and British Airways Engineer. VHR's industry experts truly understand the markets we work within and the needs of businesses and candidates.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Created in 2003 by former technical engineers and experienced recruitment consultants, VHR delivers a partner-orientated and consultative approach to technical recruitment.&nbsp;</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">&nbsp;</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Our team is led by former industry practitioners, including America's Cup sailors, British Airways engineers, and construction managers, our team ensures comprehensive knowledge across all levels, from the board to junior management. VHR's industry experts truly understand the markets we work within and the needs of businesses and candidates.</span></p>

<p>VHR is a specialist international organisation providing recruitment and training solutions to the Aerospace &amp; Aviation markets. We provide online training in collaboration with our EASA Part 147 Training Partner. We provide training in the following:</p>

<p>VHR is a specialist international organisation providing recruitment and training solutions to the Aerospace &amp; Aviation markets. We provide online training in collaboration with our EASA Part 147 Training Partner. We provide training in the following:</p><ul><li>Airside Safety</li><li>EWIS</li><li>Fuel Tank Safety</li><li>Human Factors</li></ul>

<p>VHR's specialist technical divisions use industry experts to provide international technical recruitment across the following industries.</p>

<p>At VHR, we connect job seekers with contract and permanent positions across 57 countries globally. Our team of specialised technical recruitment consultants are fluent in up to 22 languages, ensuring we match you with the ideal job opportunity.</p>

Is your business experiencing a shortage of engineers or technicians?

<p>Get in touch to see how we can help.</p>

<p>Read about our strategic recruitment solutions and the measurable impact on our clients' businesses.</p>

Case Study

Some Of The Civils &amp; Infrastructure Roles We Recruit For Include:&nbsp;

VHR provides skilled technical staff in permanent, contract and temporary positions from entry to Executive level.

<p>Named the Best Construction &amp; Engineering Staffing Agency of 2020 &amp; 2021 (Talint International Recruitment Awards), VHR provides business-critical workforces for leading Civil and Infrastructure companies around the world.</p><p>Our teams of former engineering professionals recruit specialists to support the entire engineering process. Our 21 years’ industry experience enables us to closely partner global companies working across Utilities, Civil Engineering, Rail, Construction &amp; Built Environment.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Request our Civils &amp; Infrastructure brochure</p>

<p>VHR tailors each recruitment service to the individual client. Some of our popular services include:</p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Experts in technical recruitment, with specialised industry knowledge spanning our sectors, to deliver tailored solutions that meet your unique requirements.</span></p>

<h2>Request Call Back</h2><p>Leave us your details and we will call you back to discuss your needs.</p>

<h2>Upload Vacancy</h2><p>Leave us your details and we will call you back to discuss your needs.</p>

<p>At VHR we don&rsquo;t just source talent, but we create it through a combination of recruitment, training and relocation. We work in partnership with our clients to understand their business problems and provide innovative talent solutions that truly makes a difference to our clients' success.</p>

<p>At VHR, we're a multi-award-winning recruitment agency honoured with approval by the late Her Majesty The Queen. Our team comprises industry professionals, not just recruiters, ensuring a genuine technical understanding of our sectors.</p>

Some Of The Energy &amp; Renewables Roles We Recruit For Include:&nbsp;

VHR delivers bespoke recruitment solutions for the Renewables and Energy industries across the world.

<p>As a fast-growing staffing agency with ethics and compliance at the heart of everything we do, we are proud to partner businesses around the world that are creating a more sustainable future.</p><p>Our team of recruitment consultants include former technical specialists with first-hand experience across our sectors. We utilise our 21 years’ experience and in-depth technical knowledge to deliver the highest quality staff for every stage of new project implementation and renovations.</p>

<p>Request our Energy &amp; Renewables brochure</p>

Some Of The Engineering &amp; Manufacturing Roles We Recruit For Include:&nbsp;

VHR provides tailored contract and permanent staffing solutions to the Engineering and Manufacturing industry internationally. 

<p>Named the Best Engineering Recruitment Agency of 2019 (Recruiter Awards 2019) &amp;&nbsp;<span class="ui-provider a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ab ac ae af ag ah ai aj ak" dir="ltr">Best Technical, Construction &amp; Engineering Recruitment Company 2021 </span>(<span class="ui-provider a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ab ac ae af ag ah ai aj ak" dir="ltr">Talint International Recruitment Awards 2021)</span>, VHR provides business-critical staff for large blue-chip organisations to start-up and SME businesses around the world.</p><p>Our teams of former engineering professionals recruit specialists to support the entire engineering and manufacturing process, from design, procurement, quality, and R&amp;D through the supply chain to manufacturing and production. VHR’s direct industry experience and in-depth knowledge spans 21 years enabling us to deliver niche skills to short timescales and exacting requirements.</p>

<p>Request our Engineering &amp; Manufacturing brochure</p>

Some Of The F1 &amp; Automotive Roles We Recruit For Include:&nbsp;

VHR provides contract and permanent recruitment, with staffing solutions tailored to suit requirements, to the F1, Motorsport &amp; Automotive industries internationally.

<p>VHR work with global Formula One and Motorsport teams, world-leading OEMs, Tier 1 and 2 suppliers and other Automotive-related organisations to source and deliver engineering and technical staff across the world.<br><br>With an industry-leading fill rate, VHR’s F1 &amp; Automotive division is growing as rapidly as the amazing vehicles we help design and build. Led by specialist Automotive recruitment consultants with over 30 years’ experience, VHR’s F1 &amp; Automotive recruitment team supply expertise from prototype to final build.</p>

<p>Request our F1 &amp; Automotive brochure</p>

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<p>Delivering a partner-orientated and consultative approach to your executive searches for talent.</p>

<p>Created in 2003 by technical engineers and experienced recruiters, VHR delivers a partner-orientated approach. We are passionate about the industries where we operate, the career-enhancing support we provide and the people with whom we work.</p>
<p>Whether one permanent vacancy or a team of contract specialists, VHR strives to deliver the best possible global staffing solutions.</p>

<p>At VHR we work in partnership with our clients finding and creating talent to onboard high-quality workers. Our technical industry experts truly understand the markets we work within and our success stories speak for themselves.</p>

<p>VHR is a specialist international organisation providing recruitment and training solutions to the Aerospace &amp; Aviation markets. We provide online training in collaboration with our EASA Part 147 Training Partner. We provide training in the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>Airside Safety</li>
<li>EWIS</li>
<li>Fuel Tank Safety</li>
<li>Human Factors</li>
</ul>

<p>We source, recruit and onboard high quality contract and permanent workers to short time scales, high volumes and specific requirements.</p>

<p>Discover our latest job opportunities from across the world. </p>

<p>Find exceptional talent across the global market.</p>

 <h2>Looking to kickstart your career?</h2> <p>VHR is always on the hunt for the best talent.</p>

 <h2>Upload Vacancy</h2><p>Leave us your details and we will call you back to discuss your needs.</p>

<h2>Looking to kickstart your career?</h2><p>VHR is always on the hunt for the best talent.</p>

<p>Please note – The concept of IR35 status for tax and national insurance is not changing, but how the IR35 status determination decision is made and how the rules applicable to that status are then applied is changing. IR35 was due to come into practice last year in April 2020 but due to the COVID-19 pandemic this was extended until April 2021. Video's may mention older dates but information remains the same.</p>

Contact VHR's Award-Winning Recruitment Team

<p>We're ready to help your business find a unique solution to your staffing and recruitment challenges.</p><p>Simply fill in the form and we'll give you a call as soon as possible. We look forward to hearing from you.</p>

<p>Discover the key changes brought about by IR35 in 2020 for Employers and Contractors alike.</p>

<p>Email our IR35 specialists Michael Lawanson for more information.</p>

View this job

<p>Looking to kickstart your career? VHR is continually seeking out top talent to work with us.</p>

<p>Discover diverse opportunities across various skill levels within the technical and engineering sectors. Ready to advance your career? Explore our latest job listings now.</p>

Some Of The Marine Roles We Recruit For Include:&nbsp;

VHR’s Marine Recruitment division provides a range of recruitment and logistic services across the race boat, performance yacht and superyacht industries. 

<p>VHR work with luxury superyacht and performance yacht manufacturers, mainstream motor and sail craft providers and other Marine-related organisations to source and deliver engineering and technical staff across the world.<br><br>Led by former Marine engineers together with recruitment industry professionals, VHR’s global superyacht shipyard network combined with our 30 years of international experience firmly positions us a leader in bespoke Marine recruitment and service management.</p>

Is your business&nbsp;experiencing a shortage of engineers or technicians?

<p>At VHR, our teams are spearheaded by industry specialists, including an MBE &amp; IoD Award-Winning CEO and COO. Our leaders feature a World Champion Sailor, a British Airways Engineer, and seasoned Technical Recruiters.</p>

<p>Discover VHR's Global News and Updates</p>

<p>VHR Workforce Solutions enables businesses to discover the best global talent whilst reducing administrative overhead and accessing best practice methodologies. Our industry experts manage resourcing and recruitment functions to deliver measurable and sustainable improvements to your business.</p><p>Our team work in partnership with your HR and Procurement departments to develop bespoke services that match your exact requirements. VHR Workforce Solutions empowers your business with an end-to-end staffing solution that recruits and manages high volumes of quality staff, as and when you need them.</p>

reduction in time to hire by using recruitment process outsourcing.

<p>VHR's Global Technical Recruitment specialists operate across 57 countries around the globe. Wherever you are in the world, we're here to help.</p>

Some Of The Defence &amp; Security Roles We Recruit For Include:&nbsp;

VHR provides tailored permanent, contract and temporary recruitment services to the Defence and Security industries internationally. 

<p>VHR work with Governmental organisations including NATO in addition to advanced technology providers and world-leading Defence, arms, cyber security firms to source and deliver the best technical staff across the world.</p><p>Our Defence &amp; Engineering recruitment specialists are qualified former professionals with direct industry experience and first-hand understanding of emerging and established technologies. VHR’s direct industry experience and in-depth knowledge spans 21 years and empowers us to deliver the niche skills to short timescales and exacting requirements.</p>

<p>Request our Defence &amp; Security brochure</p>

<p>Request our Formula One &amp; Automotive brochure</p>

VHR provides contract and permanent recruitment, with staffing solutions tailored to suit requirements, to the F1, Motorsport &amp; Automotive industry internationally.

<p>We work with global Formula One and Motorsport teams, world-leading OEMs, Tier 1 and 2 suppliers and other Automotive-related organisations to source and deliver engineering and technical staff across the world.<br><br>With an industry-leading fill rate, VHR&rsquo;s F1 &amp; Automotive division is growing as rapidly as the amazing vehicles we help design and build. Led by specialist Automotive recruitment consultants with over 30 years&rsquo; experience, VHR&rsquo;s F1 &amp; Automotive recruitment team supply expertise from prototype to final build.</p>

<p>For two decades, VHR has been a leading provider of Executive Search solutions for the Aviation and MRO industries on a global scale. Our services span across 57 countries worldwide, and our specialist technical recruitment consultants can communicate in up to 22 different languages from our 9 global offices.</p>
<p>At VHR Executive, we pride ourselves on delivering a partner-orientated and consultative approach to your executive searches for talent.</p>

Want to know more about our award-winning Executive Search?

<p>At VHR Executive, we pride ourselves on delivering a partner-orientated and consultative approach to your executive searches for talent.</p>

<p>Find specialised premium talent through our global tailored searchs</p>

<p>Build a Successful and Rewarding Career – Become a Trainee Recruitment Consultant with VHR's Academy.</p><p>VHR recruit 8 individuals into our revolutionary 13-week Academy Training Programme. The VHR Academy will give you the skills and guidance to become highly successful in your recruitment career, with the ability to earn commission from Day One of your Training.</p>

Unlock Your Potential in International Recruitment

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Headquartered in London, UK, VHR boasts a network of nine additional offices spanning Manchester, Birmingham, Abu Dhabi, Greensboro, Nicosia, Prague, Dublin, Leipzig, and Bologna. Interested in working with us? Download our brochure to learn more.&nbsp;</span></p>

<p>VHR is an ambitious, fast-growing recruitment agency, and we are looking for dynamic, driven individuals to work at VHR and join our company. We keep our values at the heart of our business which is why we are looking for people that demonstrate these.</p><ul><li>Doing recruitment right</li><li>Teamwork &amp; honesty</li><li>Industry specialists</li></ul>

<p>VHR is continually seeking out top talent.</p>

<p>Investing in people: fostering talent, nurturing growth, and shaping fulfilling careers.</p>

Tailored to your every need, our Managed Services Programme includes:

<p>Bespoke Managed Service Programmes to seamlessly deliver your recruitment needs globally.</p>

<h3>Whether you want more control over your recruitment supply chain, are looking for cost reduction and increased time efficiency, or are going through a period of rapid growth, VHR Workforce Solutions can tailor the right solution for your business’ needs.</h3>