By Daniel Speirs

The University of Strathclyde has unveiled an exciting new scheme to offer students a route into highly coveted engineering jobs.

The Engineering Academy will provide another 80 fully-funded positions per year, and will offer college students a more direct route from college to university and eventually employment.

The Faculty of Engineering will work in partnership with various local colleges and key industry players in this initiative, strengthening Strathclyde’s commitment to catering for people from a wider range of backgrounds.

The plans were endorsed by Education Secretary Michael Russell. He said:

“The Scottish Government firmly believes that education should be based on the ability to learn, not the ability to pay and is committed to widening access to Higher Education to all people, regardless of background.

“Strathclyde’s Engineering Academy will allow a number of talented college students to take further steps in their academic career and become leading lights in Scotland’s vital engineering career.”

Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Principal of the University of Strathclyde, said:

“The degree programmes offered within the academy will be boosted by hands-on practical experience.

“This will ensure graduates entering the workforce will have the enhanced professional and vocational skills that industry is seeking in technological sectors critical to Scotland’s economic success.

“The ultimate destination of entrants into the Engineering Academy will be a high-quality job in engineering.”

The colleges participating in the scheme are City of Glasgow College, Glasgow Clyde College, West College Scotland, Glasgow Kelvin College and Forth Valley Scotland.

Participants will take a HNC course at one of the participating colleges and will be moved on to the degree at the University of Strathclyde if they meet the necessary performance criteria.

They will also be provided with work placements at companies such as BP, Aggreko and Rolls Royce, among others.}