When studying for your engineering degree in school, it may seem like you can only move between engineering-related jobs or companies. Fortunately, that’s not necessarily the case! The best thing about an engineering degree is that it equips you with highly sought-after transferable skills, such as logical thinking, critical thinking and problem-solving. As for your hard skills, you’ll have a strong background in numeracy, systems design, programming languages and even data modelling!
Put all these together, and your skill set is technical enough for a specialised sector, like investment banking and investment management, or even a more general industry, such as fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG).
When it comes to choosing a job, most organisations will have positions where engineering graduates can combine their existing skill sets with commercial and management opportunities! Here are some options.
Logistics and supply chain management
What it is: Whenever you find yourself coordinating, moving and storing products from one place to another reliably and steadily in the supply chain, it falls under the purview of logistics and supply chain management. Examples include moving raw materials (metal, coal, etc.) to a manufacturing facility, all the way to distributing retail products (clothing, shampoo, bags, etc.) to customers.
The industry: Singapore’s strategic location and high connectivity makes it a hub for international trade. It also means that the World Bank has consistently ranked the country among the top 10 countries in its Logistics Performance Index since inception in 2007. In other words, the logistics and supply chain management industry in Singapore is highly-relevant and dynamic, with plentiful opportunities for engineering graduates.
Companies in this sphere: Singapore is a hotspot for major logistics and supply chain management firms like FedEx, DHL Singapore, UPS Singapore and DB Schenker Singapore. There are also other opportunities in Foodpanda, a delivery company headquartered in Singapore, that’s aggressively expanding.
If you would rather go local, though, there’s also the Singapore Post, which most Singaporeans depend on for their postal services, as well as home-grown start-ups like NinjaVan. There are also smaller companies, such as TreeDots Enterprise, which focuses on optimising logistics and supply chains for food.
Responsibilities: Because you have to ensure that nothing gets delivered late or is lost, you’ll be responsible for everything related to the processes in logistics and supply chain management, from managing information, resources and people, and planning and delivery activities, all the way to tracking orders and liaising with other stakeholders.
Other responsibilities include providing good customer service, minimising costs and improving processes.
Skills needed: Due to the nature of the industry, urgent last-minute problems can pop up without warning, from lost packages to unexpected delivery delays caused by freak storms. For this, problem-solving and logical-thinking skills are needed to track and find them, along with patience.
Solid communication and interpersonal skills are also a must, as you have to be clear and precise when managing both colleagues and customers alike, who come from a variety of backgrounds (e.g. line technicians, business managers and consumers, etc.) – and especially when you need to be firm with them. If you can use your communication and interpersonal skills to build rapport with other teams and understand their individual roles, it’ll be a large boon as well.
Additionally, quantitative skills such as cost-benefit analysis and investigative skills are necessary in order to seek out new opportunities and strategies that can boost profits while cutting costs. As part of that, you’ll need to be able to consider the impact of your choices on the business as a whole. An engineering background can help with this, since you’ll already have the essential technical knowledge and background when it comes to crunching numbers, which can lead to better business decisions.
Did you know? Because two of your main concerns will be handling expenses and deadlines, it’ll be your job to balance quality service and timely delivery – all while minimising costs.
Operations management
What it is: Operations management bridges the manufacturing and business sides of a company, and deals in managing manufacturing and service operations. If this is your chosen area of work, you’ll look into creating strategies that result in the highest efficiency and productivity when converting materials and labour, all while ensuring that profits are maximised as much as possible.
The industry: As mentioned above, Singapore is a hotspot for international trade. As a result, optimising resources and keeping costs down is a top priority in Singapore companies. Because of this, demand for operations managers tends to remain high – despite varying market conditions – as they’re needed to mitigate risks and ensure supply lines remain reliable.
Companies in this sphere: International opportunities include Fonda Global Engineering, while Singapore Aero Support Services, an arm of the SIA Engineering Company, is a renowned, large local player.
If you’re interested in going local, there’s SMRT to consider. Otherwise, you can put your hand to smaller companies such as San Engineering and Construction, as well as Kinetics Process Systems.
Responsibilities: Most of the time, you’ll be engaged in developing, implementing and reviewing production plans and schedules, supply chain coordination and inventory control. Other responsibilities include liaising with stakeholders, overseeing budgets and supervising engineers, contractors and subcontractors who are essential to the day-to-day running of your company.
Skills needed: An eye for detail is essential, as well as sound communication and interpersonal skills, as you’ll have to engage with numerous parties and stakeholders. Analytical thinking skills are needed to deduce key information from compiled data, and being a quick-thinking problem-solver is vital when it comes to improving processes.
As you’ll need to be able to see the overall picture and work towards an objective – whether it’s improving specific areas or developing a new plan – having project management skills is also a must.
Did you know? Because operations managers understand both engineers and operations staff, they’re usually the ones who facilitate communication between the two departments.
Intellectual property (IP) and patenting
What it is: Legal professionals in this area specialise in intellectual property (IP) law, and advice and help clients protect their IP. If this is your chosen field, you have a huge advantage – your technical background and knowledge gives you the ability to understand the process of invention, allowing you to negotiate on behalf of clients. Take note, though: you still need to be called to the bar and be licensed as a lawyer.
If you don’t wish to go into law, there’s the option of becoming a patent agent, a practitioner who deals in advising on, and assisting in, patent applications. Unlike lawyers, patent agents don’t need to be licensed, though you’ll still need to be registered. To do so, you’ll need to obtain a Graduate Certificate in Intellectual Property Law, or complete a Master of IP and Innovation Management. If you’ve done either one, you’ll need to sit for, and pass, the Patent Agents Qualifying Examination.
The industry: In line with Singapore shifting towards becoming an innovation-driven economy, the country rolled out the Intellectual Property (IP) Hub Master Plan in 2013, a 10-year initiative that aims to make it the foremost location to develop, register and defend IP and patents. At present, this sector is still in the midst of a boom, driven by the local thriving e-commerce sector.
Companies in this sphere: If you’re looking for an organisation on a global scale, there’s Bird & Bird ATMD LLP. Alternatively, although Ravindran Associates may be considered a boutique firm, it maintains a large multinational and regional clientele.
But if you’d rather go local, Allen & Gledhill LLP boasts one of the largest teams in Singapore, and can offer you opportunities across all aspects of IP and patenting. You might even find yourself comfortable there, as they also look to patent and protect patents and IP of mechanical and electrical engineering firms! Another well-known local firm is Drew & Napier LLC.
Smaller firms who specialise in a niche include Gateway Law Corporation, which focuses on commercial IP. Similarly, Robinson LLC only focuses on piracy and anti-counterfeiting.
Responsibilities: As an attorney working in IP law, you’ll ensure the protection of your clients’ (companies and individuals) ownership rights over their created materials or inventions. To do so, you’ll be expected to advise clients on their legal rights and actions when their IP has been infringed, as well as file lawsuits, represent them in the courtroom, and later negotiate legal settlements. Other responsibilities include creating and reviewing legal documents and drafting new ones.
On the other hand, patent agents pinpoint inventions that need to be patented, and then conduct and participate in related research meetings for it. Afterwards, you’ll develop the patent procedures and generate applications. If any issues related to the patent pop up, you’ll be expected to manage them. Other key duties include maintaining the patent database and being called in to review existing patents and educating management in the event of a merger or acquisition of companies.
Skills needed: Self-motivation, time and stress management, as well as project management are all vital, whether as an attorney or a patent agent. Depending on your firm, you may also be required to work alone. In addition, solid interpersonal skills and communication skills are musts, as you would need to walk clients through either legal or patenting processes, which can be tedious. Good writing skills are also essential for paperwork.
Because you’ll likely find yourself looking through a great deal of information, having a good eye for detail and analytical skills will aid you well in reaching logical, accurate conclusions. Patience is also needed to handle numerous meetings, clients and officials. It’ll come in handy as you study to become either an attorney or patent agent!
Did you know? As methods and processes can only be patented if certain elements are met, it’s up to the creativity of legal professionals and patent agents to find ways to do so with lateral thinking!
Procurement, purchasing and buying
What it is: When you’re out and about, scouting and purchasing services, equipment, parts and materials at the right price and quality, you’re engaging in procurement, purchasing and buying. However, take note that procurement aims to create value through risk mitigation and cost savings, while purchasing and buying deals in the total cost of the order, either in bulk or in small units, respectively.
The industry: Over the past few years and to the present time, companies are entering Singapore to procure, purchase and buy products for direct re-sale. This means that the industry has remained relatively stable, even in the midst of the current pandemic-induced recession. It has also been buoyed by the growing e-commerce sector and dynamic start-up scene.
Companies in this sphere: Organisations range from multinational corporations (MNCs) specialising in consumer goods from appliances and apparel, much like LG and Dyson, all the way to e-commerce retailers like Grab and home-grown giant, Shopee. Alternatively, there are other options you can consider, such as famed plastic block company, the LEGO Group, Hewlett Packard (HP), and Essilor Group.
On the local side, Singapore Airlines and DSTA tend to prefer engineering graduates to work in their procurement, purchasing and buying departments, due to their technical knowledge and skills.
Responsibilities: Duties include preparing plans for procurement, purchasing and buying, and later overseeing and supervising all activities related to it. In addition, as you’ll be managing the company inventory and keeping accurate pricing records, you’ll also need to review, analyse the cost and approve the products and services to be procured and purchased.
You’ll also be expected to maintain good and professional relations with suppliers, as well as negotiate contracts in the interest of the company.
Skills needed: Solid written and organisational skills are needed, as you’ll be the one drawing up a list of suppliers and quotations to select from, based on your company’s inventory. To liaise with logistics and supply chain managers, as well as transporters, good communication and interpersonal skills are essential. In line with that, having negotiation skills is a must, as you’ll also be handling procurement and purchasing contracts with suppliers.
Accuracy, meticulousness and an eye for detail will stand you in good stead when doing up calculations for the procurements and purchases as well. This is especially important, as some orders (especially in MNCs) can go up to millions of dollars!
Lastly, the ability to work under pressure, and think fast as well, is essential, as not only are you likely to deal with tight deadlines, but last-minute hiccups might crop up unexpectedly.
Did you know? Engineering graduates tend to be well-suited for this area of work, as they’re familiar with specific parts, equipment, materials and services. This means that they can help with quality control as well!
Teaching, academia and lecturing
What it is: This field delves more into theory rather than practical, and doesn’t have many links to the corporate world. But it still allows you to draw from personal experiences and theoretical technical knowledge to train the next generation of engineers! Take note that depending on the subject you want to teach, you may need to pursue additional qualifications, such as a Master of Science in Engineering.
The industry: With demand for engineers from home-grown engineering enterprises such as ST Engineering, SIA Engineering, Keppel and Sembcorp, and MNCs like Schlumberger and Continental, never flagging, there’s no shortage in demand for engineering educators to pass on their skills and knowledge!
Companies in this sphere: The foremost local industry-focused universities you can lecture at include the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and the Singapore University of technology and Design (SUTD). Alternatively, there’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and the National University of Singapore (NUS), whose engineering courses are considered among the top 10 in the world, alongside other Ivy League colleges!
But if you would rather concentrate on other age groups, you can consider teaching polytechnic students. Notably, Singapore Polytechnic is ranked first among the local polytechnics for its outstanding engineering courses.
There are also international opportunities, such as Stanford University in the United States, Aalborg University in Denmark and Tsinghua University, China. You can even choose to teach online courses to working professionals on platforms such as Coursera and Alison!
Responsibilities: If this is the career for you, responsibilities will include giving students advice, not only academically, but also in guiding their career paths. You’ll also be preparing coursework and materials, as well as evaluating student performance according to individual ability and departmental or coursework guidelines.
Constant research work is needed, as you’ll need to stay updated on advancements and contribute new research in your area of expertise. During final projects, you may be expected to mentor groups of students, as well.
Skills needed: Enthusiasm for your chosen subject is a definite must, as is the passion to raise the next generation of engineers and impart your knowledge. Otherwise, excellent communication skills are needed to reach out to students, and even simplify in-depth, specialist theoretical technical knowledge for them. As periodic research work and contribution to academic papers and journals may be part of your responsibilities, especially if you intend to lecture at the university level, good writing skills are also vital.
Creativity and problem-solving skills are essential as well, since part of being a good educator will involve presenting your subject matter in a way that’s not only engaging and interesting for your students, but easy to understand, too.
Did you know? If the Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology, Dyson’s in-house university, makes the move to Singapore (at present, the Institute is in Warwick University, United Kingdom), it’ll give you the chance to educate Dyson employees!
Technical consulting
What it is: Typically, this area of work offers broader business-oriented opportunities, as it’ll require you to troubleshoot issues that are hurting a company’s profits, using mathematical and computational theories. As a fresh graduate, you’ll likely start off with research-based duties, and later move on to data analysis and statistical modelling.
The industry: Singapore is a hotbed of engineering, from biomedical, chemical, microelectronics engineering, to robotics and software engineering. In fact, this industry is so stable, it’s usually able to offer a degree of job security even in economic downturns!
Companies in this sphere: International behemoth Thales Group is an option, along with well-known MNCs Siemens and Cognizant. But if you would rather specialise in an area, RELEX Solutions is a firm based in Helsinki that only focuses on consumer retail functions, and offers clients technical advice and consultations in that area.
Locally, there’s Pacific Tech, a home-grown small- to medium-enterprise (SME) that only deals in network security, data protection, cybersecurity and business continuity. Otherwise, you can think about lending your skills to Eastcompeace Technology.
Responsibilities: As a consultant, you’ll work with external clients and stakeholders to analyse their hardware, software and network, and recommend and implement innovative improvements and solutions. After installing new solutions, you’ll also be expected to document the new processes, as well as monitor the new system performance. Later, you’ll likely also find yourself training the users in the programming.
In addition, you’ll troubleshoot issues for clients and perform diagnostic tests, and also provide hardware and software updates.
Skills needed: As you’ll work with a number of clients, time and stress management, as well as the abilities to work under pressure, multitask and within tight timelines are musts. As your job is to solve technical issues for customers, you may find yourself working with big data, analytical and problem-solving skills, as well as logical thinking. Take note that solid interpersonal skills, and communication skills, both written and verbal, are also essential.
Specialist technical knowledge to advise on the implementation of specific technologies or equipment are vital, too.
Did you know? Engineers are highly sought-after in this field for their strong mathematical background and technical knowledge.
Technical sales
What it is: This is a branch of sales that focuses on selling highly technical and/or specialised products and services to clients. Because they’re expected to know the ins and outs of the products they’re selling, technical salespeople need a solid background in engineering in order to efficiently ascertain the needs of the customer before promoting the relevant solutions, all while demonstrating exactly how they can help them. Occasionally, you may even need to customise product packages according to what the client company needs as well.
The industry: Singapore’s lucrative technology industry is still expanding fast, driven by widespread adoption of digitalisation and e-commerce. As a result, the position of technical sales is vital in pushing the local economy forward. In fact, just by looking at job listings, it can arguably be considered one of the most in-demand tech-related jobs in Singapore!
Companies in this sphere: Specialised large employers range from the sprawling Carlisle Interconnect Technologies and Arxada, to FrieslandCampina and keyhole solutions provider, Schneider Electric. On the other hand, if you’d rather go into something more business-oriented, you can consider consultancies such as Fiducia Management Consultant.
If something mid-range is more your cup of tea, there’s MEDs Technologies, InnoArk, as well as healthcare industry-centric Omni-Health. The local scene is also very dynamic, and features SMEs such as SEMICAPS, SwitchZmart and Aptiv8.
Responsibilities: In technical sales, you’ll need to establish a customer’s problems, and suggest the appropriate products to solve the issue. Later, you might be involved in aftersales, from updating current products, to keeping existing clients up-to-date on new and improved products. In addition, it’ll be up to you to establish new leads, whether through cold calls or attending conferences and trade exhibitions.
As a salesperson, it’ll also be your responsibility to compile proposals to clients, keep management informed about sales, negotiate contracts with clients and meet sales targets. Maintaining customer records and contact information may fall under your purview, too.
Skills needed: Having technical knowledge and skills is a definite must, as you have to understand your company’s products before you look to sell them. Moreover, as you’ll likely have to juggle several clients and projects at the same time, project management and organisational and time management skills are needed, too. Research skills and self-motivation are boons, as well, because it’s up to you to bring new clients into the business.
Additionally, interpersonal and communications skills are very important in this area of work, as they form the bases of your negotiation and sales skills, and will allow you to work seamlessly in teams. Commercial awareness is another vital skill.
Did you know? Not only do successful salespeople tend to be positive and approachable, they’re also able to quickly absorb large amounts of information from clients, and interpret it well enough to present suitable products.
Technical training
What it is: When a technical system or solution is particularly complex, technical salespeople usually sell them with a provision of training to clients. This is where technical trainers come in – they teach client employees how to install, operate and maintain these products. If this is your chosen field, you may find yourself imparting knowledge on topics such as technical standards and customised packages, all the way to manufacturing equipment and health and safety processes.
However, you should also take note that some companies have prerequisite requirements for the role, such as experience in the product, or a teaching certification from an accredited body.
The industry: Although technical training isn’t a very visible area of work, and may not be considered an industry by itself, trainers are still essential, especially with the recent push for digitalisation, and high demand for solutions and software improvements in Singapore.
Companies in this sphere: While most employment opportunities are found in agencies or internal human resources (HR) and development teams, there are a few notable companies that specialise in outsourced training, such as Opus Kinetic.
MNCs that offer roles in this area – usually as part of a department – include FDM, Jungheinrich, Amazon and Philips. If a slightly smaller, regional firm is more for you, there are other companies like WongPartnership LLP. Otherwise, local opportunities include positions in Manpower Singapore (a glocalised part of ManpowerGroup) and ComfortDelGro Engineering.
Responsibilities: Identifying skills and knowledge to impart, and then building them, is one of the most essential responsibilities of a technical trainer. Other than that, you may need to create manuals and handouts to disseminate among employees who will be using the new products. After, you might be expected to follow-up on them, and check on their progress.
Skills needed: Strong working knowledge of the product is needed for this role, along with outstanding interpersonal and communications skills to present and impart the knowledge. As the role can be considered a teaching role, some mentoring skills may be essential, too. Moreover, because you might have to handle a few clients and products simultaneously, organisational, project and time management skills will be helpful in your endeavours.
Did you know? On top of keeping abreast of the latest industrial developments, you may have to work with specialised course providers to come up with suitable lesson materials.
Technical writing
What it is: Considered a highly-valued skill, technical writing is the business of sharing specialised, technical-related knowledge through platforms such as blogs, social media, websites and publications. This means that if you decide to become a technical writer, you’ll need the ability to take highly technical information and process it into understandable and digestible, written content for readers.
The industry: Feeding off the technical boom in Singapore, there’s healthy demand for technical writers in Singapore. However, take note that not all companies are willing to set that role apart. Rather, some companies offer that role as a job function, on top of other duties, such as marketing and sales responsibilities.
Companies in this sphere: Opportunities range from global behemoths like Facebook, Visa and half-Singaporean gaming MNC, Razer, all the way to renowned regional firms such as Anacle Systems. On the smaller scale, local companies like ST Engineering and Akribis Systems also look out for technical writers.
Responsibilities: Identifying, researching, writing and editing new content to feature is one of the core responsibilities of a technical writer. Depending on the company, you might also be in charge of adapting said content into different mediums, such as summarising it for social media posts (like short TikTok or LinkedIn posts). Organising and maintaining the company archives might fall under your supervision, as well.
Skills needed: An eye for detail is one of the necessary skills, along with strong writing and copywriting skills. As you’ll likely be interviewing people, from corporate leaders to other engineers, to learn about new products and processes to write about, adaptability, empathy and solid verbal communication skills are needed, too.
On top of all that, as the onus will be on you to set timelines and deadlines for articles, organisational, time and project management skills are essential, along with the ability to work both independently and in teams.
Did you know? Some companies require their technical writers to handle and quickly familiarise themselves with products before writing about them. These items can weigh as heavy as up to seven kilograms!
With such a range of different job roles available on the market, don’t restrict yourself to only engineering positions if you’re itching to try other opportunities. This list is just the tip of the iceberg, and it’s up to you to continue developing your skill sets and build the career that you’re proud of.