A unique new qualification offered by City of Glasgow College is future proofing job opportunities for a new generation of engineers.
City of Glasgow College is gearing up to introduce Scotland to a new concept in engineering.
The extreme rate at which technology is developing during the “fourth industrial revolution” is creating a demand for people who can combine practical skills with knowledge of new processes.
In recognition of this rapid change, City of Glasgow College has invested heavily in state-of-the-art equipment to offer the mechatronics course and provide engineering students with the skills for our rapidly evolving world.
City of Glasgow College is currently recruiting students to undertake an HNC in Mechatronics, which combines electrical and mechanical engineering with software engineering. It is believed to be the first course of its kind in Scotland.
Stuart Logan, curriculum head for Electric and Electronic Engineering describes the move as “the most exciting development” during his career at the college.
The college’s Riverside campus, home to the Faculty of Nautical and STEM, has installed an advanced manufacturing centre equipped with flexible integrated assembly systems that comprise an automation process, programmable logic controllers (plc) and a robotic interface.
Mr Logan says: “Systems have evolved so much young people need software knowledge and understanding as well as mechanical and electrical skills.
“This new course brings in all the traditional skills but will also encompass new digital technologies to provide learners with a more rounded learning experience.
“We want our young people to have these skills to provide a base that will enable them to prosper at all levels of industry.
“They should be able to take a process from start to finish and look intelligently at fault diagnosis to find rapid solutions.”
The course will be suitable for school leavers as well as mechanical and electrical engineers needing to update skills.
Joe Mulholland, Associate Dean for Electrical, Electronic, Automation and Digital Technology, agrees it is a unique offering.
“By combining the digital curriculum areas of software development, data analytics and cyber security and mixing them with electrical and mechanical engineering we are doing something not done before.
“The college has been insightful in bringing these areas together under one curriculum.
“Mechatronics is a combination of electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, hydraulics and pneumatics, and we want to get digital technologies into this mix as this is what engineers will need,” he says.
“The college has invested in an automated production line to provide our students with the required skills for fault diagnosis, system design installation, assembly production line operational skills and system programming for the assembly lines.
“Automated systems will need people with skills to design, create and install. People must be re-deployed through up-skilling opportunities to take advantage of new roles that will emerge. These systems will also require expertise in programming, data analytics and cyber security.
“City of Glasgow College is at the forefront of shaping future training in areas sought after by employers in order to give our students the best possible life opportunities.”
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