You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree to get into this career. Useful subjects include:

• design
• product design
• industrial product design
• engineering

You could also do a course covering a particular industry, which has design options. Examples include automotive engineering and furniture design.

Getting work experience during your studies can improve your job prospects.

Your university careers service can help you to find suitable placements, internships and year in industry opportunities.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
• 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

You could do an engineering product design and development degree apprenticeship.

This typically takes 60 months to complete as a mix of workplace learning and academic study at an approved university.

You might also apply to do a Model Making Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship. Training would include skills in physical and digital model making, building prototypes and creating mock-ups.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship

You'll need:

• design skills and knowledge
• the ability to come up with new ways of doing things
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• understanding of technology, materials and manufacturing methods
• analytical thinking skills
• persistence and determination
• thinking and reasoning skills
• complex problem-solving skills
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

In your day-to-day duties you could:

• discuss what your client wants
• investigate how existing products work or how services are used
• develop ideas and make initial sketches or outline plans
• decide on suitable materials or resources
• use computer design software to produce detailed blueprints
• make samples or working models, known as prototypes
• test and refine designs

You could work in a workshop, in a creative studio or in an office.