At one time or another, virtually all the big engineering companies have bemoaned the lack of technically minded students coming through the education system. Now some of the sector’s leading lights – including Jaguar Land Rover, National Grid, Tata Motors, Prodrive, Bosch and Ricardo – have decided to pay more than just lip-service to the problem of skills shortages. 

They’re throwing their weight behind the formation of a school whose central focus will be the provision of ‘industry-ready’ youngsters.

The WMG Academy for Young Engineers, which opens its doors in September, will turn the traditional approach to education on its head, by putting real, business-focused, practical problems and challenges at the centre of the curriculum. Students will learn by doing – designing and making things. Teamwork will be the norm, so that the academy’s youngsters are prepared for the career challenges that lie ahead.

Fundamental to this has been the involvement of several engineering firms, which have helped to build the curriculum, and will assist with individual projects. “The support of industry is key to what we are doing,” says the academy’s principal Kate Tague. “Each of the companies has given their time to help us recruit the right people, to produce the curriculum, and to talk to the parents. They have shaped what we are about. That’s pretty unique in the academic sector.”

The WMG academy is one of a new breed of so-called university technical colleges: essentially types of secondary schools in England that are led by a sponsor university – in this case, the University of Warwick. The colleges, each of which has a different academic focus dependent on the traditional strengths of the sponsor, are funded by the taxpayer, non-selective and free to attend.

At the WMG academy, a total of 640 students aged 14-19 years from the Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull areas are scheduled to begin studying in September. The youngest intake – Year 10s – will be educated to GCSE level using the national curriculum. So a range of subjects, including English, maths and sciences, will be offered, but with fewer options in areas such as humanities and languages.

That will free-up students to spend 25% of their time learning engineering, primarily through industry-sponsored projects. At the end of the study period, students will be awarded GCSEs as well as Cambridge Technicals, qualifications recognised in the workplace.

The Year 10 intake is currently being recruited. And Tague says that those students who have come on board have shown a huge excitement about the engineering content on offer. “These are key stage 4 children – so there are no entry criteria as such,” she says. “But students must understand what engineering is and they must have a passion for it. Fortunately most do. 

“They understand that we are about design, innovation, mechatronics, CAD and 3D printing. In the main, they know that engineers do not fix cars.

“Most of the students applying come from engineering families. They understand the true breadth of the profession. And their parents are excited that they are coming here – because many of them are engineers too.”

After completing GCSEs, students can stay on at the WMG academy to study A-levels at sixth form, preparing them for university. Or they might look to secure an apprenticeship. “Most will stay with us until they are 18,” says Tague. “But some won’t. We want to set them up for university, or for an apprenticeship. We are about keeping both pathways open.”

The academy will be located on a purpose-built site near the main University of Warwick campus, a couple of miles from Coventry city centre. The new facility, which was topped-out last month, provides a bright, airy space, and is bristling with technology, including CNC machines and lathes; welding and fabrication equipment; and the latest in CAD software and 3D printing machines. 

“Not many principals get to see their school coming out of the ground,” says Tague. “It has been designed just as I wanted it. The classrooms are much bigger than they would usually be, so that we can be more flexible in our teaching. That means the students will have space to work in teams.”

The school day will be longer than usual, with students expected to be on-site from 8.30am to 4.30pm. The trade-off is that there will be no scheduled homework. Tague wants to instil a more business-like approach, hence the longer hours. 

“The longer day will give us time to ensure that all learning is completed at school,” she says. “And at the end of some weekdays there will be what we call enrichment time – when students are encouraged to discuss and share their outside hobbies. We want to help them build outside interests in engineering-related activities.”

The quality of learning will be crucial to the success of the school. Tague says that more than half of the teachers have engineering degrees and have worked in industry. The project-based learning has been developed in tandem with industry. The first intake of Year 10 students, for instance, can expect to embark on a CAD project set by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). “That means the kids will get to meet JLR staff, and maybe get to look around the shop floor. JLR’s engineers have supported us all the way through since our formation,” she says.

Ultimately, the aim is to provide industry with youngsters who are ‘work-ready’. Tague says: “Industry wants engineering skills, but it also wants employability. It wants youngsters who can work in a team, who can give presentations, who can communicate, and show leadership. Employability has been lacking in the past – but not now.”

Tague says that, while gaining industry support up to now has been a case of “pushing at open doors,” she wants more engineering firms to get involved in the future. 

“The support has been amazing,” she says. “I have seven or eight firms waiting to come in to see me. But we could always do with more. So please get in touch.”

The Year 12 intake is likely to be over-subscribed. However, there are still places available for Year 10. That’s not a surprise, says Tague. “Changing schools at Year 10 is a new concept. So recruitment has been a bit slower than it has been for Year 12. Also, this is a new school – so in many regards it requires a leap of faith from parents. 

“But increasingly parents are realising that engineering is an expanding sector, and a good place for their children to be.”

While there are no guarantees of a job or apprenticeship at any of the partner companies, students who attend the academy will gain a far superior range of employable skills than many of their peers in traditional academic establishments. That should give them a far stronger chance of going on to careers that they want, she says. 



A parent's perspective

With a father who earned a living as a dockyard coppersmith, Andrew Bartlett developed an early interest in making things. Like so many others, this eventually led to him becoming an engineer, primarily in the automotive sector at companies such as Rover. With such a background, it’s perhaps no surprise to find that Bartlett’s own son, Robert, wants to follow in his footsteps.

“That was the starting point for Robert wanting to join the WMG Academy for Young Engineers,” says Bartlett. “I haven’t needed to push him in that direction. He’s really keen to have an education that gives him hands-on, practical knowledge. I think it’s wonderful – I’d have loved such an opportunity myself.”

Bartlett and his son attended a taster day at the WMG academy and were impressed by the proposed facilities and the quality of teaching staff. They both thought that the curriculum would offer a rigorous engineering-focused education that would provide Robert with a better chance of becoming an apprentice or a sponsored graduate.

Another big factor was the approach being taken to the structure of the school day. “Robert liked the idea of doing a longer day, just like having a job, but having no scheduled homework,” says Bartlett. “There are plenty of after-school clubs to keep him interested.”

Bartlett admits that encouraging his son to attend a new school has involved taking a leap of faith. But having seen the sorts of companies that are backing the academy, he says he has no concerns. 

“It would have felt more of a risk without the support of firms like Jaguar Land Rover. Let’s face it, a company like that isn’t going to get involved with a venture that is going to fail. They need the engineers.”

And he wasn’t concerned that his son is switching schools, aged 14, while many of his peers are settled. “He is good at getting on with people so will meet new friends. He could stay where he is, but the balance is far more in favour of reward rather than risk.”