ECUK Gateways to the Professions Development Fund Project:
Flexible Pathways to becoming a Professional Engineer
Background & Progress: Report to EPC Committee 12 December 2007
Introduction
In 2006, the ECUK applied for and were offered funding by the then DfES (now DIUS) from the Gateways to the Professions Development Fund to develop models of flexible pathways into and through Higher Education, leading to professional status in engineering. The proposal was based on developing some existing successful work based learning models run by Kingston University, to provide routes to professional recognition which would integrate education (from Foundation Degrees to Masters level) with supervised work-based professional development, thus potentially satisfying all the requirements for professional registration. It was also hoped that the project would demonstrate that such work-based programmes can create new markets amongst potential engineers who wish to achieve the highest level of professional and academic recognition, but are unwilling to undertake higher education for several reasons, i.e. the prospect of additional debt.
The need to design flexible entry routes into the professions was one of a number of recommendations in the Gateways to the Professions Report by Sir Alan Langlands published in November 2005. It was hoped that the project would tackle other recommendations in the Report, such as enabling flexible recruitment and training strategies, embracing students without the exemplifying qualifications for their chosen career and developing programmes that are increasingly relevant in an international and European context.
Project Partners
Kingston University were identified as the leading partner in the project and upon whose Learning by Contract arrangement the pilot programmes would be based. Three further ‘Stage 1 HEIs’ were quickly approached - the Universities of Staffordshire, Hertfordshire and Northumbria – and it has always been envisaged that other HEIs would be brought on board as the project progresses. In particular, a key feature of the project is having the opportunity to benefit from such universities’ existing Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and their developed links with industry; in Kingston’s case, this includes major companies like BA, KLM, Eurostar and Laing O’Rourke.
With regards to the professional engineering institutions (PEIs), the ECUK quickly identified the important role that they would need to play in the project, in particular to address the issues of ensuring the programmes do lead to professional registration, and underwriting continuing professional development while widening participation. To cover the disciplines of the Stage 1 HEI partners, the Institution of Engineering & Technology (IET), the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) were invited on board and are actively involved in all aspects of the project, in particular the Project Team meetings, chaired by Paul Bailey of the ECUK. This Team is supported by a Project Steering Committee, chaired by Ray Flower of KLM and comprises of representatives from employers, SSCs, HEIs, PEIs and other interested stakeholders. This important forum allows employers to contribute to the project and indicate what they would wish to see from such programmes. Important issues of discussion have included the mentoring and recording of students’ professional development and the need to ensure the sustainable funding of the project past March 2008. Additionally, both committees have looked at how to measure the effectiveness of the project which has resulted in a student questionnaire being issued, so as to provide some baseline data. At this time, the results are still being fed back into the Project Team but it is hoped that the questionnaire and proposed follow-up correspondence to recipients will provide some short term feedback on applicants’ attitude towards ECUK registration.
Activity in first 12 months
The initial stage of the project involved a series of successful meetings with the partner HEIs and PEIs to discuss a number of issues, in particular how to formally recognise such programmes as well as identifying common practice in work based provision. The outcomes from the first round of discussions were used as a basis for a Project Workshop held in February, which had two aims; firstly, for the HEIs to agree on how to develop work based learning (WBL) programmes that meet PEI requirements and, secondly, for the PEIs to agree how such generic WBL programmes might be considered for ‘approval’. Alongside this were discussions on how students’ competences, developed whilst undertaking an approved WBL masters programme, could be monitored and assessed ready for PRI. Stakeholders were also keen to clarify the distinction between underpinning knowledge, skills and competence, issues regarding the delegation of roles and whether the HEIs are able to fully incorporate the PEI processes. A main outcome of the workshop was the drafting of a general Guide to MSc Professional Engineering (a guide for Bachelors programmes leading to IEng is now in final preparation) and signed letters of agreement from all stakeholders.
The Project Team has continued to meet regularly through 2007, with highly constructive discussions on, for example, the Institutions’ experience with and issues encountered in accrediting integrated programmes; how to record and ensure all relevant competence are met; the integration of the Institutions’ Professional Review processes with those of the HEIs and the coordination of any multi-Institution accreditation/approval.
Project Guide and Documentation
Most of the work in 2007 has been undertaken on ensuring the partner HEIs are producing an agreed, final draft of the general CEng Guide and agreeing examples of specific documentation. Kingston University has now produced its own Operating Manual based on the template Guide. It is expected that, as the remaining partner HEIs roll out their programmes, they will produce final versions of their own Manuals. Alongside this work has been the agreement of a transition plan with all 4 of the partner HEIs that has included the drafting of a “comparative survey” showing how the HEIs are structuring their programmes compared to the Kingston model.
Marketing
Alongside this has been the production of suitable marketing material for the MSc programme, including an ECUK marketing brochure which is primarily aimed at employers. It is envisaged that this brochure will complement the individual marketing material of each of the HEIs, which will be aimed more specifically at the applicants. Hard copies of the ECUK brochure will be made available to EPC members.
Publicising the Project
From an early stage, the project has been extensively promoted through many PEI journals including those of the IET, CIBSE, IOM3, INucE, IOA and BInstNDT. The progress of the project is advertised widely via the regularly issued project newsletter - engineering Gateways - now up to its fourth issue (copies will be made available to EPC members).
Another important recent development has been the launch of the dedicated website www.engineeringgateways.co.uk which contains details of the project including all the relevant documentation
Next Steps
With regards to recruitment onto the programme, three students started in early October on the Kingston programme, with similar numbers starting at the other partner HEIs (the first actual student on the programme is Josephine Allen from Corus Tubes in the East Midlands). Most of the programmes involve multiple entry points and so the total number at the end of the 12 months is expected to be close to or possibly exceed the number proposed in the DfES contract.
However, the main areas of activity for the project over the next few months is completing the IEng and EngTech strands of the project and introducing further HEIs and PEIs onto the project.
Feedback from the DIUS has been very encouraging, with the ECUK having been approached to present a session at a DIUS conference in February 2008 which would showcase good practice seen in the Gateways projects.
Paul Bailey, ECUK, Gateways Project Manager
30 Nov 2007