As one of the UK’s primary educators in Railway Systems – and the first to offer full BEng and MEng undergraduate degrees in Railway Engineering – we are now the first UK institution to offer degree apprentices towards the Level 6 Rail & Rail Systems Senior Engineer and Level 7 Rail & Rail Systems Principal Engineer apprenticeship standards.
The University of Birmingham works in close collaboration with the employer throughout an apprenticeship, ensuring the apprentice completes a portfolio of evidence towards meeting the apprenticeship standard. The University also hosts three tripartite meetings each year together with student and employer to review and support academic, skills-related progress and identify any remedial actions or areas of excellence.
For the Level 6 programme, we are offering a programme of study which combines a traditional, accredited university BEng degree with practical work-based projects and industry experience. This Level 6 degree apprenticeship is one-of-a-kind and is available for employers to join and for prospective students to find out about for study commencing in September 2020.
The course will involve full-time study in Birmingham for the first and second years, with a summer job with the employer between these years. The third year will be spent at the employer, working alongside other engineers, on a number of valuable projects, and then the apprentice will return to Birmingham for the final year of study.
The Level 7 programme follows a combination of work and part-time study over three years. It not only enables the employer to shape the apprentice’s expertise and skills, it also allows the apprentice to apply their learning directly to the workplace. Study takes place during intensive week-long blocks in one of the University of Birmingham’s two Rail MSc programmes: Railway Systems Engineering and Integration programme and the more tailored Railway Safety and Control Systems – which itself offers three possible pathways. Both MScs meet the requirements of the standard and apprentices can tailor their study towards the needs of their employment.
Underpinning both programmes of study is comprehensive railway systems education, with modules which cover rail industry business, technology management, components of the railway system, systems engineering and human factors. The Level 7 programme is available for study commencing in September 2019.
To find out more and to register your interest to attend an Employer Discovery afternoon, please contact us by responding below, email us at degreeapps@contacts.bham.ac.uk or call on +44 (0)121 414 2626.
Jenny Illingsworth
Deputy Director