The Diploma in Engineering is a new,
innovative and ground-breaking qualification for all young people,
which has been designed and developed by employers.
The approach of this Diploma is fresh and original. By
immersing young people in the excitement and potential of working
in the real world of engineering, it will blend together the best
of academic and applied learning.
It will create a new generation of individuals
with many of the skills that businesses need in their new recruits,
and be taught by local consortia of schools, colleges, businesses
and others.
The Diploma in Engineering consists of three
areas of learning: principal, additional / specialist and
generic.
Principal
learning
This includes:
- The Engineered World: the importance and
impact of engineering on our lives.
- Discovering Engineering Technology: basic
engineering principles
- Engineering the Future: what makes
innovations succeed, how new materials contribute to design, how to
develop and launch new ideas
Students also do a minimum of 10 days’
engineering work experience and get the chance to learn from
professionals.
Additional/specialist
learning
Learners can choose other additional or
specialist learning options to meet their personal interests and
career goals. They could possibly choose engineering
topics like robotics, medical engineering, aerospace, and others.
Or they can widen their learning by studying another subject such
as a language, humanities or arts.
Students also complete a project to
demonstrate the skills and knowledge they have acquired, for
example;
- What part could Engineering play in reducing
energy bills?
- How can Engineering improve the lives of
people with disabilities?
Generic learning
English, Maths and ICT are also taught, with
these subjects related to engineering.
Students also learn teamwork and
self-management skills, learn how to express themselves
confidently, and how to apply their knowledge and skills creatively
in a business environment.
The Diploma is designed to broaden a young
person’s horizons and give them a wide range of next-step
options.
There
are three different levels of Diploma:
- Foundation (equivalent to 5 GCSEs at grades D to G)
- Higher (equivalent to 7 GCSEs at grades A* to C)
- Advanced (equivalent to 3.5 A Levels, worth 420 UCAS
points)
There is also a Progression level Diploma,
which is like the Advanced Diploma, but without various options,
and is equivalent to 2 A Levels. It is worth 300 UCAS
points.
There is also an Extended Diploma, which has
more generic and additional and specialist learning. It will be
available from 2011.
The Progression, Advanced and Extended Diploma
could both lead on to college or university, or to further training
and employment.
Students of a Foundation or Higher Diploma in
Engineering might choose to go on to do a Progression,
Advanced or Extended Diploma, or perhaps to do A levels. They
could also decide to start an apprenticeship or take a job with
further training.
A Diploma in Engineering does not mean
students have to pursue a career in this sector.
Put simply, it gives students relevant,
transferable skills that will be welcomed by colleges, universities
and other employers.
The Diploma will take up some of the student’s
time, with the rest taken up with the National Curriculum, such as
GCSEs or A Levels.
Click here to download a more detailed leaflet on the Diploma in
Engineering.