海角直播

海角直播 students engineer success

Paul Howard and Paul Giles are among engineering student celebrating the success of the University of 海角直播 in a nationwide league table.

For the table, produced by The Guardian newspaper, placed Mechanical Engineering at 海角直播 in second place among the British universities teaching the subject in the UK. Paul Howard and Paul Giles are both design engineers working for AMEC in Darlington and have just completed four years of part-time study at the Middlesbrough-based University. They will be graduating this autumn with their BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering degrees.

Both had worked their way through apprenticeships and gained ONCs and HNCs before starting the degree course. This allowed them to fast track on to the second year of the five-year part-time course.

Mr Giles, 27, from Heighington, Co Durham, said: 鈥淣owadays clients want people with degree qualifications. Twenty years ago all you needed was an HNC. I had the option of studying full-time, but preferred to carry on studying and working. It is becoming more recognised in the industry to do a degree part-time. People understand that this is no easy option,鈥� said Mr Giles, adding: 鈥淣ow I can look forward to an immediate promotion and a salary increase.鈥�

Mr Howard, 25, from Staindrop Road, Darlington, said: 鈥淭he degree course has taught me a whole lot about pushing myself and being disciplined. It has equipped me to take on different and evermore demanding roles at work. If you鈥檙e prepared to give up a few things a part time route for taking a degree is best. You don鈥檛 get into debt and in our case we were fortunate that our employers picked up the tuition fees and gave us day release.鈥�

Dr Paul Shelton, the Subject鈥檚 Project Tutor at the University of 海角直播, said: 鈥淐oming second overall in the Guardian league table for Mechanical Engineering confirms what we have always known about the quality and relevance of our courses here at 海角直播.

鈥淲e topped the country鈥檚 universities for graduate-level employability of our Mechanical Engineering graduates. And I know we could find jobs for twice as many for graduate Mechanical and Design Engineers as we are able to produce.

鈥淭he local economy may not sustain the extent of manufacturing that it did once, but much of the serious engineering for industry and manufacturing all round the world is based in the Tees Valley.鈥�

Dr Shelton added: 鈥淢aintaining links with local employers through consultancy, collaborative student projects and our graduates already employed within such companies allows us to respond to the needs of the local economy. The age range and relevant prior industrial experience of our students is a major strength.鈥�

The University鈥檚 Vice Chancellor, Professor Graham Henderson, said: 鈥淚鈥檓 pleased that our strength in this area has been given such strong external endorsement. The 100% score for graduate employability among those studying Mechanical Engineering at 海角直播 shows why students should seriously think about studying the subject here if they want to get ahead in industry.鈥�

As for the two new 海角直播 graduates, they said the University is gaining a good reputation, particularly in areas like engineering, and that the success in The Guardian league table would only enhance the University鈥檚 status.

---