Tees Valley Training Needs Are Tackled By Engineering Partnership

Date: 30/03/2007

Client: Tees Valley Engineering Partnership

Approved by and distributed on behalf of Tees Valley Engineering Partnership

Photo caption (see attached jpeg) (left to right): Dr Ahmed Abbas, Head of the Teesside Manufacturing Centre, with TVEP Manager Malcolm Potter and Teesside University’s Darryl Okey.

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CONTACT: Claire Buchan (01325) 363436


TEES VALLEY TRAINING NEEDS ARE TACKLED BY ENGINEERING PARTNERSHIP


30/03/07


The Tees Valley Engineering Partnership (TVEP) has joined forces with the University of Teesside’s School of Science and Technology to help employers combat a lack of training in essential 3-D design.

Research commissioned by the TVEP in late 2001 identified a strong need for professional 3-D design training, with employers expressing particular concern about their need for Plant Design Management System (PDMS) and Pro-Engineer software, which lead the field in hi-tech design and visualisation.

Close links between the TVEP and the Teesside Manufacturing Centre (TMC), part of the University of Teesside’s School of Science and Technology, soon led to collaborative discussions about how to tackle the problem and ensure the region’s engineers were once again at the top of the game.

Subsidised training was quickly organised for Pro-Engineer, using the academic expertise that already existed among the Tees Valley’s engineering and training sectors, while the TVEP and representatives from the University also negotiated a licensing agreement with AVEVA International, a world leading provider of software and systems solutions, allowing them to use PDMS software to train engineering employees. This licensing agreement was the first of its kind ever to be granted by AVEVA in the UK.

In order to make the most of its new-found training capabilities and deliver the best possible standard of result, Teesside University have developed an accredited 3D-design course as part of their HILT (High Level Training for Engineers) programme.

Leading to a UCPD (University Certificate in Professional Development), the new Process Plant Modelling course is designed specifically with the employers needs in mind, with all training delivered outside standard working hours to minimise disruption. Candidates on the course also receive sponsorship from the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), with the training being heavily subsidised.

At the start of the series of programmes, Teesside University had no accredited tutors, so lecturers for the course were recruited directly from engineering K Home International and Day & Zimmerman.

The pilot of the course took place in 2003, with places being oversubscribed almost immediately. Since then, the programme has continued to run at capacity, with its content being continually refined and refreshed to ensure it exceeds the standards necessary for modern-day competency in 3-D design. In order to cope with demand, the University recently employed its own accredited tutors to lead the course on a more regular basis.

Following the outstanding success of the course within the Tees Valley region, the TVEP and Teesside University initiated programme is now being delivered on an international scale, with Teesside lecturers travelling as far as Nigeria to provide this training.

The prospects of future collaboration and arising opportunities are also looking increasingly positive, with initiatives such as distance higher-level training, research developments and further international training all predicted to begin soon, with the possibility of progressing to a certified training centre for the region in the foreseeable future.

Dr Ahmed Abbas, Head of the Teesside Manufacturing Centre, at Teesside University, said; “The Process Plant Modelling Course fills an urgent skills shortage in the Tees Valley area and allows us to deliver essential training within our own region. Without it, candidates would have to travel outside of the Tees Valley to look for the correct training, meaning days spent away from home and from the workplace. This programme offers an effective and convenient way to enhance Teesside’s working practices, ultimately helping the area to remain competitive’’

Malcolm Potter, Manager of the Tees Valley Engineering Partnership, said: “The future success of the Tees Valley engineering industry depends a great deal on the collaborative partnerships of relevant organisations, public bodies and training providers. The TVEP was established in part, to help facilitate these relationships and ensure they work towards the greater good of the industry’s future. The Process Plant Modelling Course is a prime example of the successful synergy that can arise when academia and industry work together, with TVEP acting as a catalyst for such collaboration.”

For more information about this training, contact Darryl Okey of TMC (Teesside Manufacturing Centre) on 01642 342481 or email D.Okey@tees.ac.uk

For information about the TVEP (Tees Valley Engineering Partnership), contact Seline Shaw via seline@tvep.co.uk.

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