Dudley Advance is still on track to open its doors to students and employers this Autumn. It will offer a wide range of training in engineering and manufacturing from Foundation level to HND programmes and including full time, part time, Apprenticeship and in-company programmes. It will also offer services directly to employers to encourage the growth of engineering, including access to engineering equipment and facilities. Having local employers involved in shaping and developing this curriculum and services is therefore essential. We look forward to working closely with them and delivering a new Centre which really benefits our important local engineering and manufacturing industry.

Welcome to the latest newsletter for Dudley Advance, – Dudley College’s new Centre for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Technology opening this autumn.

The Centre for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Technology

newsletterMay 2014Issue 2

In this issue...• Dudley Advance welcomes leading local employers

• Build project well under way and on schedule

• First college in the region to secure prestigious STEM Award

• Industrial Mentor Scheme Update

• New Building Information Modelling curriculum planned for September

• Engineering students to compete in national Skills Competition

“Metsec believes in investing in employees. The Dudley Advance team who are managing the new building, allied with the integration of the curriculum, are ensuring their investment matches local business needs and therefore implementing training for the future success of the local economy and businesses.”

David Leggett Metsec Plc

“With Engineering and Manufacturing representing such a vital part of the Black Country’s heritage, it is essential that we provide an infrastructure capable of delivering the skills and knowledge necessary to continue building upon that heritage. Dudley Advance, with its fantastic facilities and links to local manufactures, will set new standards for the next generation of skilled engineers.”

Kevin O’Toole Eurocraft Enclosures Ltd

Dudley Advance welcomes leading local employersWe are very pleased to welcome a number of important local employers onto the Steering Group for Dudley Advance. As part of the Steering Group they will help advise on the direction of Dudley Advance and, in particular, the curriculum and services that it offers to local employers.

Pictured across are Kevin O’Toole (Eurocraft Enclosures Ltd), David Leggett (Metsec Plc), Tom Westley (Westley Group) and Martin Dudley (Thomas Dudley Ltd).

Build project well under way and on schedule

Over the coming weeks, passers-by will see the development transformed. The external ‘envelope’ will be built around the steel framework, which will then be clad in zinc effect panels giving the whole structure a traditional ‘machine- tooled’ appearance. The decision to introduce an industrial look to the exterior of Dudley Advance was key as the college was keen to associate the new training centre with the heritage of engineering and manufacturing the Black Country.

The spiral staircase running through the centre of the development and internal walls will start to be fitted by the end of the month, after which the site will be watertight and the internal fit-out can commence.

Alongside Dudley Advance, the construction of Dudley Enhance is also making good progress and on track to open in September 2014.

This smaller purpose-built resource centre will be packed full of exciting technology and designed to support A level studies. One of Dudley Enhance’s key facilities is a large lecture theatre which can seat up to 100 students. To give flexibility the theatre can be divided into three teaching rooms, where smaller groups can be taught. The strikingly modern building will also house a café in which students can relax with drinks and refreshments.

Steve Johnson, Executive Director of Estates and Capital Projects at Dudley

College said: “Both Dudley Advance and Enhance are progressing to plan and we are on track to open the facilities to our students in the Autumn. The ongoing development of the Dudley Learning Quarter will provide our growing student population with the facilities and space they need to really enjoy their studies.”

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We are happy to report that the new build project is continuing as planned and is on track for completion in September 2014. The mild winter has enabled contractors to progress unhampered with the erection of the steel framework which is now complete and ready for the next stage of the build.

To see a video walkthrough of Dudley Advance and further information please visit our website: www.dudleycol.ac.uk/DudleyLearningQuarter/DudleyAdvance

First college in the region to secure prestigious STEM Award

Dudley College became the first college in the West Midlands to be awarded STEM Assured status, and is now one of only 19 prestigious colleges in the UK recognised by NEF: The Innovation Institute.

Acknowledged as one of the UK’s top science, engineering and technology educators, the STEM Assured standard is awarded to institutions with advanced capability to support the needs of business and industry through specialist teaching and training in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM).

This UK-wide quality standard is recognised by the Government (Department of Business, Innovation and Skills), the UK Commission for Employment & Skills (UKCES) and The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS); accordingly, it is the only standard that assures the quality of vocational STEM provision.

NEF CEO, Professor Sa’ad Medhat said: “We are delighted to be able to award Dudley College with this prestigious award. Gaining the STEM Assured status signals to employers that Dudley College has strong and up to date STEM capability. This will undoubtedly enhance Dudley College’s already well-established employer engagement.

“STEM Assured status required the college to be assessed by an external validation panel which looked for evidence that the college fostered a high level of consistency in the quality of STEM education and training and demonstrated that it increased learners’ interest in STEM subjects through visible employment prospects.

The external validation panel

commented: “It is clear that Dudley College is pro-active and strategic in developing STEM education and training. The college is very outward looking and is strongly engaged and responsive to its external environment.”

Although the STEM Assured status is a college-wide accreditation, there is a particular focus on STEM provision at Dudley Advance, the new Centre for Advance Manufacturing and Engineering Technology. The £8 million centre will provide local employers with the high-level engineering and manufacturing skills their current and future

workforces require. Dudley Advance students will need to be adept across all the STEM subject areas to enhance their training experience and give them the academic foundation they need to be the next generation of engineering experts and manufacturing specialists, so the Black Country can continue to be competitive and proud of its talent across the region.

Lowell Williams, Principal at Dudley College said “Gaining STEM Assured is an important achievement for us. The standard highlights our current performance of STEM provision and recognises how these vitally important subjects will be integrated into the college’s future plans and development.

“The preparation of our students for employment, by providing them with the training they need for a successful and sustainable career, is central to everything we do at Dudley College. Alongside this, we need to ensure our learners have the right knowledge and transferable skills to meet labour market needs. The additional of the STEM Assured status gives us a mark of recognition that industry and stakeholders recognise.”

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Following the launch of our new industrial mentor scheme (Advance Your Career), the first cohort of mentors and mentees has got off to a flying start. Eight companies have participated in this first year providing 11 mentors. Participating companies are: Yeoman Pressings, Eurocraft, Phoenix Calibration Services, Techniswage, Harco, Clarke Controls, HUF and Thomas Dudley Ltd.

Industrial Mentor Scheme Update

‘I believe the mentor scheme plays a key role in giving full time students valued experience in real-life working environment. It prepares them for work and allows students to clarify their career path with minimum risk. From a company perspective we get to meet young keen students of the future. We can share our working knowledge and hopefully they can gain the confidence and experience for their future’ Ian Clarke, Clarke Controls & Distribution Ltd.

Following selection of the students who apply for the ‘Advance your Career’ in addition to their normal course, scheme mentors and students are matched up. Their first meeting is at the college and is a ‘break-the-ice meeting’ where there is a series of ‘get-to-know-you’ tasks and a setting of expectations. Tasks were fun and turned out to be competitive with a good time being had by all!

Following the first ‘ice- breaker meeting’ students and mentors will meet up for one session each half term at the employers premises. Mentors introduce them to the world of engineering in a real environment which is essential to full time students. The students get an insight into the industry, how a manufacturing organisation works, careers and CV advice. Employers get to meet and inspire the next generation of engineers, develop their staff with mentor skills and in some cases they may meet an employee of the future.

To date, all students have had two mentor meetings with their mentor at their place of work- here are a few industry and student thoughts:

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‘Mentoring works. I can see positive changes in the young engineers I am mentoring. The potential to produce the best generation of engineers in recent years is here and mentoring is one of the many tools that will help do this. Dudley College’s foresight with projects like this is what is needed if we are to take British engineering forward. I believe all students in any discipline should have external mentors.’ Andy Durham, Techniswage

‘It is interesting to see how a company operates, it has shown me different roles and aspects of engineering, I am really enjoying my visits’ Daniel Hurley, Student

‘It compliments my college course, I am finding the visits really useful and interesting’ Joshua Powell, Student.

‘ The scheme is giving me more confidence to interact with different people and I get an insight into how industry works’ Omar James, Student.

5New Building Information Modelling curriculum planned for September

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is an exciting new development which utilises the very latest in 3D computer modelling to support the design, manufacture and construction process. It is used by architects, construction professionals, designers and engineers to create a detailed 3D model for new buildings.

It allows all people involved with the design and building to work on a detailed shared 3D model that leads to improved building design and more efficient construction processes. It is seen as an important move forward for the construction industry and is supported by the Government which expects all its projects to be utilising 3D BIM collaboration by 2016.

The construction industry therefore needs staff able to work with this new technology while still having the background construction knowledge required to make best use of it. In response to this, and working in partnership with local employers, Dudley College is launching a brand new Building Information Modelling Level 3 course in September.

This course aims to prepare people for these roles by giving students a broad construction curriculum alongside technical training in BIM-related software. They will study a total of 18 units over a two year period, which will include input from local industry

experts and the opportunity to undertake a work placement in industry.

We hope to follow this up with further BIM training opportunities aimed at a higher level and courses aimed at those already in the industry. To find out more about the new course, please visit the full time courses section of our website and click on Construction: www.dudleycol.ac.uk/

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Engineering students compete in national Skills Competition

The six learners taking part from Dudley College were:

• Full time learners - Joshua Powell, Sam Poole and Daniel Hurley

• Bradley Norton, apprentice with Thompsons Friction Welding

• Ashley Hartill, apprentice with Midtherm Fans

• Lee Perry, apprentice with Mechatherm International Ltd

Six Dudley College engineering students recently competed in the regional World Skills UK competition in the field of Advanced Computer Aided Design. This prestigious contest saw students compete in regional events for a place at the World Skills UK National Final, taking place at the NEC Birmingham in November.

The entrants had to complete a six hour practical CAD assignment producing parts and assemblies for a complex 3D desk lamp and also produce the drawings and exploded assembly files. The organisers were very impressed with the work produced and commented that the standard was extremely high from all of the competitors.

The results will be published once all the regional heats have been completed and the best five from across the country will progress to the UK final in November.

Neil Thomas, Director Dudley Advance, was pleased to see so many students putting themselves forward for this event – “To have six of our students competing in this event is a great achievement. We are very proud to have them represent the college and showcase the excellent skills they have developed in their time with us”.

We wish them all the best for the upcoming regional contests and we will keep you updated on their progress in future newsletters.

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Skill Up – £5 million for training aimed at local employers

Principals from six Black Country colleges have joined forces to launch a major £5 million European fund designed to provide local businesses with free training over the next two years.

The substantial funding has been secured from the European Social Fund (ESF) and now six of the region’s leading further education colleges have teamed up to deliver the Skill Up project to employers and employees. Those involved are the City of Wolverhampton College, Birmingham Metropolitan College, Dudley College, Halesowen College, Sandwell College and Walsall College.

The free training is designed to help local businesses stretch their budgets further and give staff the training and qualifications they need. Employees aged 19 and over who are looking to

enhance their skills in the workplace are also encouraged to get involved.

Short units of training are being offered in a wide range of areas such as Business Administration, Health & Social Care, Customer Service, Engineering, ICT, Manufacturing and Building Technologies. Offering training which is tailored to meet the specific needs of employers, and where possible delivered on site, means that Skill Up requires minimal time and effort to achieve maximum results. Examples of engineering training already completed under this scheme are Business Improvement Techniques, Computer Aided Design, CNC Operation, Pneumatics and Hydraulics training.

Lowell Williams, Principal of Dudley

College said: “This is a fantastic ESF project designed to bring real value to businesses right across the Black Country. We will come out to your place of business, talk about what training is needed, agree a programme of delivery and, wherever possible, deliver training on-site which means absolutely no disruption will be caused to businesses.

“Dudley College, along with our partner colleges, is committed to supporting employers and the local economy. The Skill Up initiative and the tailored training programmes we can provide will lead to a more motivated and productive regional workforce.”

A range of grants is also available to employers, including incentives to recruit apprentices. For more information about Skill Up and employer grants, please contact our sales team on 01384 363012.

If you would like to find out more about our Engineering provision or get involved with Dudley Advance – please contact the team on:

Tel: 01384 363 409 Email: advance@dudleycol.ac.ukVisit: www.dudleycol.ac.uk

The Centre for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Technology

We’re keen to make life easier for you by offering a range of training and recruitment services designed to meet your business needs:

• Freerecruitment,candidatescreeningand interview support

• Apprenticeshipsforyoungpeople and adults

• Professionalandwork-relatedqualifications

• English,mathsandcomputertrainingfor at all levels

• Bespoketrainingtomeetyour exact requirements

• Shorttastersessionsdeliveredin the workplace.

Tried and trusted by employers to deliver success, Dudley College’s Skills Hub is the training partner of choice for hundreds of businesses and organisations in the West Midlands, nationally and further afield.

High quality training for a workforce that is getting smarter by the day is a recipe for success adopted by many of the world’s brightest and most successful organisations.

And you don’t have to be big to benefit; skills generate forward momentum in teams of two, twenty or two thousand.

The Skills Hub can be there when and where you need us to be, at a time to suit you and your organisation.

• Electrical&ElectronicEngineering

• MechanicalManufacturingEngineering

• EngineeringMaintenance

• TechnicalSupport

• Leadership

• BusinessImprovementTechniques

• MaterialsProcessing&Finishing

• Casting&Foundry

This training is often free or at very reasonable cost.

Contact us for a consultation on what would best meet your needs.Tel: 01384 363 012Email: employerservices@dudleycol.ac.uk Web: www.dudleycol.ac.uk/employers

Is your business looking to:• Improveitsproductivityandefficiency?• Trainitsstaffthewayyouwantto?• Saveonrecruitmentcosts?• Developtheskillsofexistingstaff?

Manufacture a brighter future for your business

Apprenticeships and courses available in: