What’s the job?
Field engineer.
Who would I be working for?
Any company that has electrical equipment that needs to be maintained, or new equipment that has to be installed. Coca-Cola European Partners, who feature in the above video, employ 4,000 people in Great Britain, and you’ve probably seen their vending machines or fridges in your local shops.
What do they do?
A field engineer goes out into the field (which means driving to see customers) to work out what’s wrong with a piece of equipment and how to fix it.
What sort of work is involved?
- Testing equipment to see what is and isn’t working.
- Working out what the problem is, which may involve taking the machine apart.
- Using your electrical skills to fix any faults on site, if possible.
What skills do I need?
- Problem solving.
- Independence, as you may be out in the field on your own.
- But you’ll still need teamwork skills, as some jobs may involve working with another colleague on a problem.
- Good practical skills, as the job is very much hands-on.
- Knowledge of how electrical circuits work and the ability to understand circuit diagrams.
What qualifications do I need?
GCSE maths and English.
What hours would I work?
Generally speaking, you’d work 9-5 from Monday to Friday, although you may need to work weekends in a shift system.
Where would I work?
Anywhere that has electrical equipment, so, well, anywhere! Coca-Cola European Partners’ Operations Centre is in Milton Keynes, but they have engineers based across the UK, ready to respond to calls from every part of Britain.
How much would I get paid?
A starting salary would be in the region of £14,500, while an experienced field engineer could be getting £30,000.
Can I do work experience?
Only if you are 18 or older for this role.
How might the job change in the future?
Although new technology helps to give a field engineer more ways of testing faults, it’s unlikely that robots will ever completely take over the job any time soon, as the range of faults and fixes would be very difficult for a robot to deal with.
For more details:- www.careers.cokecce.com
