Bradford College

Foundation Degree Sets the Standard

Bradford College are the pioneers behind a new and exciting Foundation Degree in Casting Technology - believed by experts to be one of the most important developments within the industry for many years.

Supported by West Yorkshire Lifelong Learning Network (WYLLN), the degree is responding to the needs of the sector, following a shortage of younger, skilled technicians in this specialist area.  This new degree will help the industry to remain competitive and thrive, as a higher qualification is required to help educate and develop the next generation of industry leaders.

To celebrate the launch of the specialist educational programme, the Institute of Cast Metal Engineers (ICME) recently hosted the National Industry Launch of the Foundation Degree in Casting Technology at its headquarters in the National Metalforming Centre.  Over 60 high level industry representatives attended the event, which proved to be a great success.

Commenting on the new programme, Bradford College’s Project Leader and pioneer behind the success of the course, Richard Brown, said: “We saw there was an obvious need for a degree in Castings Technology and we wanted to ensure that the content of the programme served the industry’s requirements.  That’s why we formed a group consisting of employers, industry advisors, ICME, AEMFC (Advanced Engineering & Manufacturing, including Food Manufacturing & Related Industrial Chemistry) and WYLLN, to develop the degree. We’ve now got a curriculum that has been devised with employers, learners and industry in mind. Its been so successful that SEMTA, the Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies in the UK has already approved the module of content before we have even gone on to validation! We’ve been inundated with people enquiring about the course.”

Richard continued:  “The degree will be delivered on a part-time, flexible basis, with significant work-based projects, providing students with the technical understanding they need to thrive and compete within the manufacturing sector.  We’ve recruited several employers to work with the College to act as developers of technical information and e- learning.”

Richard added:  “The new foundation degree qualification will include modules on: Casting Processes; Methoding and Design for Casting; Casting Simulation and Rapid Prototyping and Casting Metallurgy.   Subjects will also be included that will enable the qualification to meet national standards for Engineering, including an element of Maths and also Materials’ Science.”

Richard concluded:  “The development of the qualification is going from strength to strength. Our employer engagement strategy has been identified by the College as very important, with curriculum development being covered in the UKCME case study ‘Metallurgy and Materials’ section.  What’s more the programme is now being nominated for a Queens Award for our employer engagement policies and our development of distance and e-learning.”  Modestly Richard added: “The success of the programme is not down to me alone.  We’ve all worked hard to develop the degree, employers, advisors and people from within the industry to ensure its phenomenal success!”