There have been lots of reports recently stating that there are plenty of gradaute engineering vacancies and this latest news will only go to fuel these claims.  The CBI (apparently they’re the voice of business!) has called for the government to invest more in nuclear and clean coal energy, instead of focusing so much on wind power.  These calls are bound to spark some debate and could fuel additional graduate vacancies if nothing else!  If you’re keen to pursue an engineering career here are some videos to help

My laugh-a-minute friends at Rolls Royce are staying true to their word with plans to create 150 new manufacturing jobs at its plant in Goodwood, West Sussex – that’s a 50% rise in headcount to help produce the new model of the Rolls-Royce Ghost. The positions range from factory floor to head office and is an exceptional headline for the motor industry right now, with 900 new staff anticipated to have joined the plant by the end of the year. A lot of people have written in to ask me what car I drive: among my collection is a Mustang Sally, a little red Corvette, and an Irish Rover. Now get on with your work.

In 2007 the parent company of plane-maker Airbus, EADS made a loss of about £400m. So it would be fair to expect this year to be even worse, but funny, peculiar and strange indeedy the group has made a profit of 1.57bn euros. Zut alors and Kerching! Airbus delivered a record 483 aircraft in 2008, beating main rival Boeing in the Ryder Cup of plane making. The firm claims the stellar figures were also down to some cost-cutting that look set to mean 2009 coffers will be swelling as well. CVs at the ready one and all!

See-saw at BMW, where sales of their own brand fell by over 4% in 2008 but the Germans were spared blushes by improved sales of British stalwarts Mini and Rolls Royce, both brands that they now own. They best hope December didn’t make the shape of things to come as sales fell over 25%. On the whole the industry is down nearly 5% on sales and the prediction for 2009 suggests things are going to get worse, not better. So it’s a weird time to be considering a career in this sector. A good idea might be to work for all the car makers when they need you: to see what I’m talking about, look at this film from IAV.

Management Today magazine have a bit of time on their hands so have dreamt up a ranking of the most admired brands in Britain – not really, they are rated by businesses leaders and analysts (with too much time on their hands). Last year’s number 1, M&S plummeted to no.29, to be replaced at the top spot by Diageo, the owner of such drink brands as Guinness and Johnnie Walker. This year’s rankings are seen as a good indicator as to who is positioned to win through in the economic downturn. The top five are; Diageo (booze); Johnson Matthey (chemicals); Unilever (food); BSkyB (telly); Tesco (shelf stacking). There must be something to the list – despite being compiled before the events of last week Woolworths came in at number 238 out of 240.