Embedding soft skills and business awareness Mechanical Engineering at UU

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Embedding soft skills and business awareness
Mechanical Engineering at UU

• Dr Margaret Morgan

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Overview

• BEng Hons Mechanical Engineering programme
• Embedding business skills within the curriculum
• Industry collaboration and support

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BEng Hons Mechanical Engineering

• CEng accreditation by the Institution of
  Mechanical Engineers
• 85 employment record
• Compulsory industrial Placement
• Strong university/industry partnership

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What industry wants?

• Technical excellence
• Problem-solving skills
• Innovation and creativity
• Commercial awareness
• Excellent communicators

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Matching programme delivery to industry needs

• Communication / team-working skills
• Practical management skills e.g. self-discipline,
  independent study-skills, time management, etc.
• Visits to manufacturing organisations
• Placement in industry
• Formal industrial management module

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Industry visits
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Industrially relevant projects

• Real-life design brief given
• Students and company engineers
• Industry prizes for winning designs

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Practical Application
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Practical Application
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Considerations

• Huge logistical task coordinating industrial
  visits and timetables
• Need commitment from the companies use past
  graduates as facilitators
• Financial incentive required for companies to be
  involved?
• Grant aid scheme to encourage companies to employ
  Placement students?

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Practical issues

• Need continuity on industrially sponsored prizes
• Lack of commitment/maturity from the students
• Need buy-in from lecturing staff

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Financial implications

• Cost of bus hire relatively small
• Hospitality for industrial visitors
  insignificant
• Travel costs for industrial Placement visits

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Thank you