Degree course is devoted to industrial demand

The University of Greenwich at Medway has launched a degree course specifically to meet the needs of employees at a leading Kent company.

The University of Greenwich at Medway has launched a degree course specifically to meet the needs of employees at a leading Kent company.

The university's School of Engineering has introduced a programme in electrical engineering to help Cummins Power Generation overcome recruitment problems caused by the national shortage of qualified electrical engineers.

The electrical engineering course is being delivered on a part-time basis as a rolling programme over six years by the University of Greenwich at Medway.

Five employees at Cummins Power Generation have started the BEng (Hons) programme and four further members of staff are taking other undergraduate and graduate University of Greenwich courses, including mechanical technology engineering.

Dr Stuart Ashenden, Director of Academic Planning, led the initiative to launch electrical engineering at the University of Greenwich at Medway following detailed discussions with management and staff at Cummins Power Generation, based at Manston Park, Ramsgate.

Dr Ashenden said: "Electrical engineering has gone out of fashion in recent years with the vast majority of potential students now opting to study electronics".

"However, we are all dependent on power generation and the lack of appropriate courses nationwide has led to a serious shortage of qualified of electrical engineers".

"Cummins Power Generation is a global industry leader but has problems recruiting engineers with the high level of qualifications and expertise they need for their business".

"We talked not only to not only to company managers but also to individual employees about their career aspirations".

"We gained a deep understanding of both the business and staff needs and we have been able to structure a programme which is now also attracting interest from other companies in the sector".

Professor Alan Reed, University Director of Regional Development, said: "This is an outstanding example of how business and education providers can and should be working together".

Cummins Power Generation employs more than 400 people at the Manston Park centre assembling generators and power production equipment for worldwide distribution.

Richard Meadows, Cummins Power Generation Technical Director, said: "The shortage of highly qualified electrical engineers is a problem we are facing now and the difficulties in recruiting suitably skilled staff are predicted to become more severe in coming years".

"We are delighted to have been able to work so closely with the University of Greenwich at Medway to develop a programme which meets the needs of our staff - contributing to their skills in the workplace as well as their personal career development".

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