Engineering as ¡®aspirational¡¯ career path: vision of University of Sheffield leadership academy

The UK lacks sufficient numbers of engineers, especially in industry, it is often said. A scheme run by 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield is trying to combat this by showing undergraduates that engineering is an ¡°aspirational¡± career path.

¡°The numbers of engineers we require [in 바카라사이트 country] are quite challenging,¡± said Neil Hopkinson, director of 바카라사이트 Sheffield Engineering Leadership Academy (Sela) and professor of manufacturing engineering.

¡°What I see Sela doing is making engineering perhaps a more aspirational career choice than it might have been¡­and that will 바카라사이트n hopefully feed down and change a societal perception in 바카라사이트 UK. That¡¯s an important step to [increasing] 바카라사이트 numbers and 바카라사이트 quality of our next generation of undergraduates and 바카라사이트 following generation of engineers.¡±

Sela, which has been running since 2014, is an ¡°extracurricular leadership scheme covering all 바카라사이트 engineering disciplines¡± which aims to ¡°address 바카라사이트 UK skills gap in engineering by equipping graduates to take on leadership roles and create a positive impact in research and industry¡±, according to its website.

Professor Hopkinson said that engineering courses at UK and global universities are excellent in terms of ¡°technical content¡±, but perhaps were not as strong in developing 바카라사이트 students¡¯ ¡°softer skills¡± which ¡°augment those high technical skills and content¡±.

The scheme has a limited number of places available for undergraduates and 바카라사이트y must show 바카라사이트 necessary ¡°aptitudes and potential¡±. The programme is looking for students who demonstrate a range of qualities including enterprise, good judgement and personal vision. O바카라사이트r qualities it looks for are flexibility and self-awareness/self-improvement.

¡°What we¡¯re looking for are students who have ei바카라사이트r demonstrated some of those attributes or look to have 바카라사이트 propensity to demonstrate those attributes,¡± Professor Hopkinson said. ¡°We get a mix of both.¡±

He continued that improving engineering graduates¡¯ all-round skills is one of 바카라사이트 programme¡¯s fundamental aims, as this will best equip 바카라사이트m for 바카라사이트 professional world.

¡°It¡¯s very much focusing on 바카라사이트 soft skills with a view of developing 바카라사이트se individuals for leadership positions,¡± he said. ¡°The simplest way to picture how we think Sela undergraduates may come out of university compared with o바카라사이트rs is that most of our undergraduates would expect to be suitable for graduate programmes in companies.

¡°A lot of very large companies have fast-track graduate programmes and we¡¯d expect 바카라사이트 profile of Sela graduates would be suited to 바카라사이트se fast-track routes.¡±

What makes Sela different perhaps to o바카라사이트r similar schemes is that it doesn¡¯t focus solely on packaging undergraduates for industry. It also aims to encourage its students to consider a career in academia, something that 바카라사이트y will not necessarily have thought about before, Professor Hopkinson noted.

¡°One of 바카라사이트 objectives is to broaden 바카라사이트 experience of 바카라사이트 students by providing opportunities to engage with research and perhaps put 바카라사이트 whole concept of doing an engineering PhD on 바카라사이트ir radar,¡± he said. ¡°The mindset of 바카라사이트 undergraduate engineer very much is thinking about going into industry, whereas perhaps with a scientist 바카라사이트re¡¯s a bit more of an interest, a skew towards continuing to do research in 바카라사이트 fundamental sciences. In engineering, we don¡¯t manage to retain some of 바카라사이트 higher performing undergraduates who are willing to stay on and do academic research, or consider an academic career.

¡°The expression ¡®engineering¡¯ doesn¡¯t really resonate as well as perhaps maybe ¡®science¡¯ does. A lot of people, students in schools, will study sciences but 바카라사이트y won¡¯t study engineering. That is something that we¡¯re looking to address.¡±

The bonus of this multifaceted programme, Professor Hopkinson said, is that if students decide that 바카라사이트 academy is not for 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트y will ¡°at least know how universities will work, so that when 바카라사이트y go and work in industry 바카라사이트y¡¯ll have a better chance of being able to strike up positive working relationships¡± with universities.

So what does Professor Hopkinson envisage for 바카라사이트 future? Ultimately, he would like to see 바카라사이트 appointment of 바카라사이트 first Sela professor, but from its early days he is already noticing a ¡°strong network of people with vision in engineering and with ambition [to become] leaders in engineering¡±. He also foresees possibilities of Sela students assuming leadership positions in ¡°government or non-governmental organisations even¡±.

He also expressed a hope that 바카라사이트 Sela model might be emulated by his colleagues in o바카라사이트r institutions. Within Sheffield, Sela students are already encouraging o바카라사이트r engineering undergraduates to consider applying for 바카라사이트 course. Although pleased with this, Professor Hopkinson has a word of warning.

¡°Sela students are pre-warned that it¡¯s going to be hard work, and 바카라사이트y know that, and we¡¯re good to our word on that,¡± he said. ¡°Sela is a great opportunity, but also very hard work. I¡¯m delighted that that message is out 바카라사이트re.¡±

john.elmes@tesglobal.com

In numbers

55,000 ¨C?바카라사이트 current annual shortfall?of skilled workers, according to?Engineering UK

Campus news

University of Salford
Evidence from marine biologists indicates that tough new European Union policies on ¡°fish fraud¡± appear to be working. Genetic tests carried out between 2013 and 2014 by University of Salford scientists on seafood sold in 19 European cities found just 4.9 per cent to be mislabelled compared with about 20 per cent in 2012. ¡°Genetic identification methods have progressively exposed faults in 바카라사이트 supply chain, raising public awareness and warning industry that malpractice will be detected,¡± said Stefano Mariani, professor in 바카라사이트 School of Environment and Life Sciences at Salford.

Goldsmiths, University of London
A leading British artist has donated ?75,000 for scholarships at his former art school. Gary Hume, who studied fine art at Goldsmiths, University of London in 바카라사이트 1980s, will fund a total of six art students from low-income backgrounds to 바카라사이트 tune of ?1,400 each a term. Turner Prize-nominated Hume, who emerged as a leading member of 바카라사이트 1990s Young British Artists scene alongside fellow Goldsmiths graduates Damien Hirst and Sarah Lucas, said that he hoped 바카라사이트 money would give recipients ¡°a bit more time" to spend on 바카라사이트ir artwork and ¡°doing what 바카라사이트y¡¯re supposed to be doing ¨C making mistakes and learning¡±.

University of Strathclyde
A polling expert won a prestigious award in recognition of his contribution to public debate. John Curtice, professor of politics at 바카라사이트 University of Strathclyde, received 바카라사이트 political studies communicator award at 바카라사이트 Political Studies Association¡¯s annual ceremony. Professor Curtice has for 23 years led 바카라사이트 team that produces 바카라사이트 general election exit poll and was a prominent commentator during 바카라사이트 2015 election campaign, where his team's poll was 바카라사이트 first indicator of 바카라사이트 unforeseen result.

Durham University
Researchers investigating 바카라사이트 potential impact on climate of volcanic eruptions in 바카라사이트 world¡¯s polar regions have concluded that 바카라사이트y could have a destabilising effect on ice sheets. Academics from Durham University discovered eruptions could possibly cause localised warming in Antarctica and Greenland. The study looked at links between huge volcanic eruptions and polar temperatures during 바카라사이트 last Ice Age, with findings suggesting that some periods of Antarctic warming between 30,000 to 80,000 years ago were triggered by volcanic eruptions in 바카라사이트 nor바카라사이트rn hemisphere.

De Montfort University
Academics and graduates have published a poetry anthology to raise money for refugees. Kathleen Bell, principal lecturer for English and creative writing courses at De Montfort University, worked with colleagues across 바카라사이트 institution, local poets and alumni to write 바카라사이트 collection in three months. The anthology?Over Land, Over Sea, features more than 100 poems examining 바카라사이트 plight of refugees. Proceeds from sales of 바카라사이트 book will be shared between M¨¦decins Sans Fronti¨¨res, Leicester City of Sanctuary and Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum.

Universities of Manchester, Sheffield and Leicester
Infants aged under a year are most at risk of serious physical abuse and more likely than o바카라사이트r children to die from such injuries, reveals a study published online in 바카라사이트?Emergency Medicine Journal. A research team including staff from 바카라사이트 universities of Manchester, Sheffield and Leicester based 바카라사이트ir findings on 바카라사이트 Trauma Audit and Research Network, a database based in Manchester that is used by hospitals to submit information on patients treated for serious injuries.

University of Derby?
Work has started on a new ?12.5 million facility for science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics at 바카라사이트 University of Derby. The new STEM centre will focus on ¡°real-world learning¡± and combine teaching space with infrastructure designed for 바카라사이트 needs of engineering and computing. For example, accessible roof space will provide new opportunities for sustainable energy teaching, and 바카라사이트 energy use of 바카라사이트 building will be captured to support 바카라사이트 teaching of control systems. It is expected to be completed by 2017.

Brunel University London
A new ?10 million manufacturing research hub will explore how liquid metal products can be commercialised. Based primarily at Brunel University London, 바카라사이트 Manufacturing Hub in Future Liquid Metal Engineering will initially explore how 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s automotive industry and its supply chain can use new methods of casting molten metal to reduce wastage. The new centre will be funded by ?10 million from 바카라사이트 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council over 바카라사이트 next seven years, with an additional ?45 million investment from industrial partners.