07 Oct 2004
Cranfield University develops special courses to train 300 engineers per year at fraction of the cost of traditional training.
BAE Systems and Cranfield University are to roll out a range of new groundbreaking tutor-led online learning courses, which will raise the overall capability of the companys engineers.
The Mechanics & Structures engineering courses have been developed with Cranfield University, a first for the University, and are groundbreaking in terms of the scale of the tutor-led training they offer and the fact that they can be directly delivered through BAE Systems corporate intranet, as part of the company's Engineering Developing You (EDY) training portfolio, or via Cranfields own website. This allows delegates to learn from home or while on placement abroad as well as in-company. The courses are also delivered at a fraction of the cost of teaching by traditional methods.
The courses are currently being piloted and will be rolled out from February 2005.
Two years ago we recognised we needed to train around 1,000 of the 3,000 engineers working within our mechanics & structures discipline up to the level where they become practitioner engineers and their skills are at a level where they can easily move between projects or businesses, explained Richard Blockley, head of technical programmes at the BAE Systems Virtual University.
We estimated that it would cost 10,000 per person to train these engineers in the traditional classroom environment, including their time away from the job, accommodation and travel costs, making 10 million in total.
This tutor-led online training will be completed at just a fraction of that 10m cost. Not only will we deliver the required depth of technical learning to our engineers in a personalised, flexible and interactive format but we will do it in a highly cost-effective manner. During the pilot phase we have already demonstrated seamless working in Europe and the USA.
An approach to Cranfield University, where BAE Systems has longstanding links, resulted in the creation of five bespoke tutor-led online courses covering: the principles of: 'vehicle dynamics', 'materials', 'mechanical systems', 'structures and design' and 'design for'.
Course materials were developed under contract to the company by Cranfield University (in conjunction with the University of Southampton and University College London) working closely with BAE Systems experts. As a result, the learning is very relevant to the delegates jobs in the company and provides underpinning knowledge to be recognised in the company as a Practitioner Engineer. The delegate fee, covering tutoring, IT support and administration, is just a few hundred pounds, making these courses very affordable to the businesses.
Each course will take 10 to 20 delegates under an academic tutor from one of the partner universities, and requires up to 50 hours of a delegate's time over a twelve-week period. The tutor directs the learning through a discussion board leading delegates through the materials and giving them specific assignments. Being tutor-led, it is easy for the delegates to get help with queries, unlike most other e-learning. Also, the programme is to a large degree self-paced, making it easier for the delegate to deal with work and home life balances. Online materials available to delegates include charts, audio teaching, reference materials and videos. Towards the end of each course the delegates undertake a group project. The tutor marks the delegates' assignments, their contribution to the group project and also their contribution to the learning activity. On completion they receive a certificate at either pass, merit or distinction grade, issued jointly by Cranfield University and BAE Systems Virtual University.
The company expects to enrol 150 delegates on the courses in 2005, increasing to a throughput of 300 delegates per year from 2006.
This could be the tip of the iceberg as there is a potential for as many as 10,000 employees world-wide from a wide range of disciplines who work with Mechanics & Structures engineers, in addition to those engineers employed in the M&S discipline, who could benefit from this type of training within BAE Systems and its partner companies and supply chain said Richard Blockley.
The development by Cranfield of these bespoke courses and the delivery process has come about as a result of years of close relationship with BAE Systems, said Michael Craig, online learning consultant at Cranfield. They are unique courses for Cranfield and allows us to showcase a number of our key areas of expertise. The development of this affordable, robust and accessible on-line learning has taken us well outside our normal teaching sphere and challenged many of our current practices.
For further information:
Michael Craig, Cranfield University 01234 754060
Richard Blockley, BAE Systems 01252 384979
Peter Scaramanga /
Hugo Rees, EuroRSCG Biss Lancaster 020 7022 4000
Notes to Editors
Screen grabs of the online course and a flow chart showing how the course works are available from Peter Scaramanga 020 7022 4110 or Nina Collins 01252 384605
Case study of a student / delegate:
Kirsten Dyer, 33, started at BAE Systems as a Materials and Processes Engineer in Prestwick in January 2003. The reason for attending the EDY Materials course was to refresh her degree knowledge and learn more about aircraft materials.
"The course certainly helped to bring my materials knowledge back into focus and extend it in certain areas, such as aircraft joining technology," said Kristen. "I was very impressed with the background material which was of degree standard and very well explained. It is now my intention to attend the EDY Structures and EDY Vehicle Dynamics courses to use in conjunction with my materials knowledge, hopefully to move towards structural and airframe integrity issues.
I have never previously attended a non-classroom style course, and was surprised, once I became familiar with the technology, how interactive and flexible it could be."
If you would like to speak to Kirsten please contact Peter Scaramanga on 020 7 022 4110
