成人快手

Meet Aine, 23, from Belfast, to find out more about her job making buildings more energy-efficient. Part of our Bitesize world of work series.

a young woman sits at a desk in an office with papers in front of her
On my work placement I became really interested in the impact buildings can have on the environment.

In my job

I'm a junior simulation engineer. That means I run simulations on buildings using computers to see how much carbon they emit. This means I measure the thickness of walls, the types of windows and bricks that will be used; every detail of the building! I put the measurements into a computer software program which tells me if it passes or fails its building compliance. One day I will be at the computer running simulations, another day I could be on the phone to clients talking about the project or in meetings with architects.

Papers on a desk display graphs

At school

For my options I chose the subjects I was doing best in. Technology and Science stuck with me, so I decided I wanted to carry on with them after my GCSEs.

At college

Aged 16 I still had no idea what I wanted to do. At that time, I became really passionate about my A-level in Technology and Design; I just clicked with it. It helped develop my STEM skills (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) and also helped develop my creativity.

At university

I was lucky enough to get on a course at the University of Ulster called Clean Technology. In my final year I was able to focus on energy-related subjects and I learnt a lot about renewable energy.

Papers on a desk display graphs
A young woman, Aine, working on her computer in an office environment
Aine's career path
Aine's career path
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What to expect if you want to be an engineer

  • How many people work in the engineering sector?
  • What can you earn in different roles?
  • What routes can you take to get in?
  • Is the demand for engineers expected to grow in the future?

Watch the film to find out the answers to these questions, and much more!

Other resources

  • See what type of engineering role might suit you with the
  • Find out more about the different areas of engineering with this
  • Learn more about roles in engineering with the
  • Discover a practical new way to study via .

For careers advice in all parts of the UK visit: , , and .

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Tips and advice
Help with interviews, writing a CV and all things work experience related.

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