Advanced Manufacturing Engineering, Degree Apprenticeships

Apprenticeship Options and Course overview

Key course details
Start date	September
Tuition fees	£9000 per annum (funding available for eligible students, see Tuition Fees and Funding below)
Location	Primarily Coleg Cambria, Deeside Placement activity at Swansea University Bay Campus
Programme Director	Dr Christian Griffiths

Apprenticeship Options

Foundation Degree – This is a 2 year programme. The final qualification will be a Foundation Degree in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering.

BEng Degree Apprenticeship – This is the full 3 year programme. The final qualification will be a BEng in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering.

Course Overview

The Degree Apprenticeship in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering is a broad-based curriculum which covers aspects of mechanical and electrical engineering, engineering design, materials, manufacturing methods, control systems, numerical analysis and modelling. In the final year, this extends into more advanced topics of automation and robotics, systems engineering, simulation and advanced materials.

The programme is designed for learners employed within the engineering sector, as companies are increasingly looking to take on well-qualified school-leavers and direct them through an embedded degree apprenticeship scheme rather than taking on graduates. The BEng Degree Apprenticeship is an attractive route to a degree level qualification for existing employees, or those who have followed a vocational qualification route within the FE sector, as the qualification can be obtained alongside industrial experience, with lower levels of student debt.

The Swansea University awarded BEng degree is delivered as a partnership between Swansea University, Coleg Cambria and the employer companies. The degrees are awarded by Swansea University.

Key Benefits to Studying with Swansea University

Swansea University has been working closely with Industry since its founding over 100 years ago and has long experience of providing high-quality industry-based education, especially in Engineering. With an impressive research background, all Engineering subjects are ranked in the UK's Top 25 by The Times University Guide 2021.

Key features of the BEng Degree Apprenticeship programme:

Modules are taught by highly skilled Coleg Cambria and Swansea University Engineering tutors with a breadth of industrial and academic knowledge
World-class facilities and resources
A mix of academic studies which links to practical vocational applications in all subject modules
Outstanding connections with many businesses and business leaders
Excellent student support, with all students having a personal tutor
Experienced provider of apprenticeship routes

The Degree Apprenticeship programme is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE).

Using the Framework for Degree Apprenticeships in Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing, this programme is designed to meet all the core elements (sections 1 to 5) to ensure our graduates have well-rounded, interdisciplinary knowledge ready for the future of the engineering sector. The Degree Apprenticeship is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers as meeting the academic requirements for IEng and partly meeting the requirements for CEng professional status.

Your experience

"I’ve had a great deal of support throughout the courses I’ve completed at Cambria which has really benefited my learning. I’ve found my Foundation Degree enjoyable yet challenging and it’s helped me advance in my day to day job. I’ve really enjoyed developing my knowledge and gaining new skills."

Kendal Irvine (FdEng Advanced Manufacturing Engineering student, Controls and Calibrations Apprentice at JCB Transmissions)

As part of your employment, you will register for a Degree Apprenticeship and be enrolled as a student with both Swansea University and Coleg Cambria. You will have one day each week released from work to study, which will usually be at the Coleg Cambria Deeside College site. This will form part of your normal employment and you should not be required to make up the hours separately.

The one-day per week will involve fairly intensive learning and teaching including a combination of conventional classroom lectures, computer-based work and practical/project activity. You will be expected to undertake additional study in your own time outside of these periods and about 25% of the course is built around work-based projects that you complete within your normal working role. You will be assigned a work-place mentor to guide you in this.

Assessments are spread throughout the year, with a mix of formal exams, coursework, design and project reports, and computer-based assignments. In the project selection, especially in the final year, you will be able to specify the subjects for your main research project to match the role you are doing in the workplace.

This is a course for applicants that are employed in a relevant engineering field. Employers will be required to support their employees with time to attend the course and carry out their studies, with no requirement for the hours to be made up elsewhere, or deductions in salary. Employers and students would be required to sign a Learning Agreement to be eligible to access Degree Apprenticeship Funding.

Entry Requirements

Year 1
A Levels of grade BBB including Maths and Physics. There is no requirement on the third A Level, but one of Chemistry, Design, IT/Computing, Further Maths or Business/Economics is preferred or a relevant BTEC qualification with grades of D*D*D* with a Distinction in the Further Maths Module.

Relevant HNC qualification (120 credits, see note below on Year 2 entry)

Students with a relevant BTEC Level 3 Qualification with an overall grade of Distinction, including a distinction in the Further Maths module, may also apply. Applications will be considered on a case by case basis and applicants may be required to sit and pass an entrance examination.

Year 2

Relevant HNC qualification (120 credits) Students with sufficiently high* module grades in their HNC qualification may be able to join the Fd/BEng programme at Year 2. Applications will be considered on a case by case basis by the Swansea University and Cambria Academic Staff.

*Typically Distinctions including maths.

Year 3

A Foundation Degree with a close match of modules, considered in detail on a case by case basis by the Swansea University and Cambria Academic Staff

Relevant FdEng (240 credits) or a Level 5 Diploma.

In addition to this, all applicants must have GCSE English Language and GCSE Maths or Numeracy at grade C or above.

Any assessment of prior learning (such as professional development awards or employment-based awards) which is at a Higher Education level but not awarded HE credits will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Swansea University and Cambria Academic Staff.

Eligibility Criteria

Learners must be employed for a minimum of 30 hours per week (in a related field)
The employer will need to agree to the learner enrolling onto the course and agree to the day release
The employer will also need to provide work place mentor/supervisory support, to enhance the direct learning
The learner needs to work 51% of the time in Wales to be eligible for the programme funding support

How You're Taught

The taught content is delivered on a one-day per week basis at the HE Centre, Coleg Cambria Deeside campus. This well-equipped facility is shared between Coleg Cambria and Swansea University and includes teaching rooms, PC rooms, laboratories and some common space. Teaching is specific to the Degree Apprenticeship cohort with classes typically of between 25 to 35 students. Teaching methods include conventional lectures, practical work, worked examples, computational design classes and design projects. Years 1 and 2 are primarily taught by Coleg Cambria staff, with Year 3 primarily taught by Swansea University staff.

A significant work-based project is included in each year, which is supervised by a member of teaching staff and supported by a mentor from your workplace. The final year project brings advanced technical aspects into a work-based problem that is specified jointly by you and your supervisor.

In order for learners to have the genuine student experience of a research-led University, an intensive placement activity takes place at Swansea University in each of the three years. Each placement is between 3 days and one week and will make best use of the high-level facilities available at Swansea to support the remainder of the degree schemes.

Assessment is spread throughout the year and includes a range of methods including formal tests and exams, written and computational coursework, practical and project reports, presentations and some assessment of practical competencies. In addition to the taught hours students will be required to undertake periods of self-directed study and placement time at Swansea University.

Tuition Fees and Funding

Foundation Degree – £7500 per annum for 2 study years. Funding support is provided through the Welsh Government, Higher Apprenticeship programme (for eligible UK).

BEng Degree Apprenticeship – £9000 per annum for 3 years. Funding support is provided by Medr (for eligible UK students).

Full tuition fee funding for the Degree Apprenticeship Programme is available from Medr*. Eligible employed students will not have to pay course fees. Employers and students would be required to sign a Learning Agreement to be eligible to access Degree Apprenticeship Funding.

*This funding may be subject to change.

How to Apply

This course does not recruit via UCAS.

The first step in this process is to contact the programme coordinator who will be able to provide guidance on your application.

Please contact eng-degree-apprenticeships@swansea.ac.uk, following which you will need to make a Direct Application with Coleg Cambria.