Engineer

As an Engineer in health and care, you will help design, maintain and improve the buildings, equipment and systems that patients and healthcare staff rely on every day. From medical equipment and hospital facilities to heating, power and water systems, you'll use problem-solving and technical skills to help create safe environments where care can be delivered.

Engineer is also known as Clinical Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Civil Engineer, Electrical Engineer, Bio-Medical Engineer.

Role Characteristics

Carry out routine maintenance work and diagnose breakdown problems
Repair mechanical or electrical equipment
Fit new parts and make sure equipment is working correctly
Build relationships with other people and departments
Deal with emergencies and unplanned problems or repairs
Ensure health and safety guidelines are met

Skills

Attention to detail
Decision-making
Planning
Problem-solving
Team work
Record keeping

Day in the life

Find out what it is like to study engineering at Leeds City College.

Routes into this role

Here are some example routes that can lead into this role.

GCSEs

BTEC, T-Level or A-Levels

An apprenticeship

Undergraduate degree

Volunteering or work experience

How to become

To become an Engineer in health and care, you will need a degree in engineering or a related subject. There are many ways to access university level education and you can explore lots of current opportunities in the section below.

You might:

Study A Levels, BTECs, or T Levels - useful subjects might include Mathematics, Physics, Engineering, Design Technology, Computer Science and Applied Science. Explore some current opportunities below.
Complete an Access to Higher Education course - a college course designed for adults who want to access higher education but don't have the traditional requirements like A Levels.
Complete a Foundation course - a year-long university course designed to prepare you for studying engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering or building services engineering if you do not have the required qualifications or grades to go straight into a degree.

You will then be ready to study at a university level. This can include:

Studying an undergraduate degree in Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Building Services Engineering or a related subject.
Complete a Degree Apprenticeship - gain experience in the workplace while also studying a qualification in Engineering, Building Services Engineering or a related engineering discipline.

Alongside education, you may also want to build some relevant work or voluntary experience in engineering, maintenance, construction, manufacturing, healthcare estates or technical services, and think about developing your problem-solving, teamwork, communication, technical and analytical skills.

Where can this role lead

As an Engineer in health and care, there are lots of opportunities to develop your career. You could specialise in maintaining and improving healthcare equipment and systems by becoming a Medical Engineering Technician, or progress into leadership roles such as Team Leader and Estates Manager. The technical, problem-solving and teamwork skills you develop can help you play an important role in ensuring healthcare buildings, equipment and services remain safe and effective for patients, visitors and staff.