IF YOU are trying to kick off your engineering career, but feel stuck in the slow lane, it might be time to change gear.

It’s time to get out of the career crawler lane.

Finding yourself on the road to nowhere can happen at any point in an engineer’s career – from entry level to senior professional – and a jump start is what’s needed to get back in the fast track. Use that logical and analytical engineer’s brain to plan a career journey for six months, a year, three years. Decide on your destination and work out a route to get there.

It might mean getting further professional qualifications or making a sideways move but at least you won’t be at a standstill. Get in the driving seat and seek out engineering opportunities. Maybe you need experience in quality systems, report writing or procurement to bolster your skills set. They might not be needed in your present role but it’s worth taking a chance to try something new. Plus you’ll be showing your initiative and commitment to your career.

Networking is vital in any field, and engineering is no exception. Join industry groups and attend conferences and events. If a job move isn’t for you right now, how about experimenting and learning outside the office on your own project? It could be building a Robot Wars-style machine to rival Razer, creating a new type of software or making your own solar panels. It will be a great