chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

I've been scouring again on the local jobsite pages and found a position which could be quite suitable for me. Monies not great (£13-16k), but it's for a Design office trainee working for Corus Cogifer. I'm pretty sure I did something similar for a couple of weeks as work experience when I was at School years ago. It's an ASAP start for the right candidate and i meet all the requirements, ie GCSE's and interest in this field.

The desciption is quite vague, so that's why I'm asking on here if anyone has any more info on this field of employment.

I am going to ring up tomorrow to request an application form and have a discussion to see if I would stand a good chance given my circumstances. I'd have thought my head for numbers, Art & Design qualifications and general eye for detail may help me, even though I guess it would be a different form of illustration.

As usual any advice or further info. is welcome, along side expected critisism

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

Will require CAD work I'd be pretty certain. Namely AutoCAD at the least.

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

It says at the bottom of the advertisement...

"No previous experience required as training will be given, basic computer skills and the sue of CAD and spreadsheets will be an advantage"

I've got basic computer skills, just not written on bits of paper. Haven't had the CAD experience, but if I can show them a good well written CV, maybe they will get the impression of willingness to learn on my part. Suppose it can't help to try, and at least apply tomorrow??

wrx300scooby

Best of luck when you call tomorrow COB

stilover

Basic AutoCad is a piece of P1ss to pickup. If all they need is 2D drawings, you'll be away in no time.

3D work is slightly more complicated though.

Good luck.

bioforger

iTrader: (1)

COB I can't think of a better person to be doing 2D cad work with your skills and attention to detail, good luck.

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

Cheers man. Instead of bumming it out and sitting on here until all times, I'm gonna get to bed for midnight, and be up for 8-8.30 tomorrow. Need to do usual business in town, but will make the call and see whether I'm a suitable applicant. If not I'll lie

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

So....what did they say?

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

Rang up at about 9.15 this morning after freshening myself up with a nice hot bath.

Asked for required person and was on hold for a bit. Then asked what job I was interested in, explained again with reference no. for position. Was then put on hold again, and eventually just asked for my address details

So I think I didn't actually get to discuss the job afterall

It would have been prefferable to discuss it to get a clue as to what is required on the application form, to give me any possible advantage. I'll see what comes in the post over the coming days. I am thinking of maybe including some of my previous commission work as example of what I can do, if I can justify it with regards to what will be a desk job...

Dunno, I've not been in this kind of position before, so I'll take it as it comes.

tath

I'd say the opposite. I use Solidworks and AutoCAD and I found SW miles easier to learn, and I learnt them pretty much concurrently.

You could always get a "learning edition" of ProE/SW/Catia off a certain Yarrrr site and do some tutorials to grab some basics? Being good at maths (mainly trig/geometry obviously) and the parts of the IQ tests where you have to rotate a shape upside-in and spot the mirror is important. If you can do that sort of stuff, you'll be ok. CAD is easy to learn - mechanical sense isn't.

From the title, I'd imagine you will be a mechanical design engineer? You'll be staring at a workstation 8 hrs a day drawing things in CAD. Reading the wiki articles on 2d and 3d cad systems would be a good start, and having a play with one would be better, not just in terms of getting the job, but more importantly will you be able to do it without having your will to live crushed?


Decent design engineers should expect to earn 25k+ though, so a handy skill to have I guess.

Odds on

CoB, Corus are a steel working/manufacturing firm. They'll like to see a few technical drawings I'd have thought. I'm not sure drawings of cars will impress them.

As mentioned, learning AutoCad will be an advantage. With someone to show you, it's not as difficult.

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

Thanks for the comments guys. The 'includuing examples' was probably not thought out I guess. Yeah they may appreciated a nice art piece but it doesn't represent what type of work I would be doing I suppose.

What I may do is have a look upstairs in my old University application portfolio (yeah still kept it after 6 years ), and see what examples of technical illustration are in there. I do remember one 'major' project when I was 17 where we were given a free design brief and I decided to re-design the smart car and build a scale model. Was a little chavved up with bodykits etc. as that was my thing at 17, but I had some super accurate technical illustrations in there with minute accuracy. Will look into that.

The application came this morning, so I'm going to wake myself up, digest it and do my damnest to make it look like a winner. Says you can add a C.V. but only as extra information.

I'm not sure what road to take though... should I fill it in as though I'm speaking from the heart (but not in a desperate tone), or fill it full of impressive long words and outstanding buzz-words?

Any advice on that would be great, as I really want to take my chance on this and look at some sort of career path.

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

I've sat down today and gone throughly through the application. was pretty simple really, but rather than try squeeze things like qulaifications, interests, the "sell yourself" paragraph into the tiny spaces, I've typed war and peace on the pc and attached the sheets to the back.

I had a route upstairs too under my bed and found the old portfolio for one of my major projects at college. This had lots of technical/engineering type illustrations in, so I've included some copies seeing as I have no formal experience to fall back on.

One thing I did remember... this same place I've applied for; I only did my bloody school work experience there Was 9 years ago, but I've included that incase it brings any advantage. At worst it shows I have a memory

So it's personally handed in, closing date is 10th Oct. so I await the "sorry, thanks for trying yadder yadder..." letter in next months post

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

Good luck mate, you have a good a chance if not better than the others.

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

Just had a letter in the post from Corus. Thanked me for applying, and that if my application was successful, they will be getting in touch shortly. Fingers crossed

bioforger

iTrader: (1)

Oh dear, that usually means no when it's worded that way, sorry mate.

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

This is what the letter said...


Re. Design office Trainee

Thank you for your application for the position of Design office trainee with Corus Cogifer Switches & Crossings Limited.

If you application is successful we will be contacting shortlisted applicants soon after the closing date and arranging interviews as soon as possible. Those not shortlisted will recieve no further communication from us.

Yours sincerely...

I don't think that's a no quite yet myself, but we''ll see what happens. Closing date was last Friday but I know for a fact that a couple of late applications for other positions finishing on the same date have gone in.

Suresh

Good luck CoB - you deserve a decent break after your recent run

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

Ta muchly