Engineering Advisory Board (EAB) Sets the Tone for New Level 1 Course

The latest meeting of the Engineering Advisory Board (EAB) was planned to coincide with the launch of the college’s Advanced Engineering Centre – home to the college’s T Level in Engineering courses. 

After the successful launch with the Leader of the Council, Cllr. Millie Earl, cutting the ribbon to officially open the facility, members and attendees of the EAB were given an overview of the college’s Engineering provision and James Hills, Director of Learning for Engineering, Professional and Public Services, walked through some of the recognition the college has received over the past 12 months and shared the Ofsted ‘Good’ result and what it meant for the college. He stated that consistently, the college received its ‘Good’ rating, across the board. 

Next, Steve Burns, the college’s Learning Manager for Engineering, showed the group the proposals for the future of the reorganised Level 1 course in Engineering, which is being designed to support student progression into apprenticeships, T Levels, or higher education within the faculty, while also offering opportunities to build technical experience for those who may not have otherwise entered the industry.

Along with James Hills, Director for the Engineering faculty, Steve Burns asked those present for help in determining the modules which would be relevant for the course in their businesses. He further explained that demand for the Level 1 course had increased and, structurally, he and colleagues were trying to consult for good provision, including what to do in the work experience hours of the course that would be useful to employers and students alike.

Some current T Level students were invited in to the group, to speak about work experience and to see if they could find a match for their next placement.

Representatives from Wärtsilä, a global leader in innovative technologies and lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets, explained that some of them were office-based, although they worked in Engineering, and something in a more administrative capacity could be factored in too.  

The next presentation was delivered by the Quality Team’s Helen Kettley, who went into more detail about the Mentoring and Coaching in the Workplace course the college can deliver for employers to help their students and improve on their own performance. 

The afternoon rounded up with a generalised overview of the apprenticeship offer at the college with Jackie Watson, Head of Apprenticeships at the college.

Duncan Newman, Engineering and Manufacturing Sector Lead at BCP Council said: “ Having and good quality further education college is vitally important for our local economy. It’s really refreshing that our local FE college actively engages with the Engineering and Manufacturing sector in Dorset. I know from real-life experience that this Employer Advisory Board really does have an impact on the college’s curriculum i.e. what is delivered locally for the sector. I know the college really buys into the ethos of being a partner to industry, as opposed to just offering a suite of courses and hoping it fits.” 

For more information on the college’s Engineering courses you can view: https://www.thecollege.co.uk/college/study/subject-areas/engineering