New degree aims to redress shortage of engineers

October 29, 2007

The University of New England is addressing the current nation-wide shortage of engineers by setting up an undergraduate engineering program that will begin next year.

The new Bachelor of Engineering Technology program will quickly feed trainee engineers into the workforce by allowing them to train on the job after just one year's full-time study.

Alternatively, students will have the option of completing the program after three years of full-time study on campus.

One of the conveners of the new degree program, Rex Glencross-Grant from UNE's School of Environmental and Rural Science, said the shortage of engineers – which was particularly acute in regional areas – applied to both local government councils and consultancy firms. "Regional councils are currently understaffed in their engineering departments by 20-25 per cent," he said.

He explained that the North-West Group of the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia (representing local government engineers) had initially approached UNE and, together with Engineers Australia (representing consultancies in the region), had negotiated with the University on the content and structure of the course.

"It's a para-professional degree," Mr Glencross-Grant said. "It's not meant to supplant a normal four-year professional engineering degree, but rather to supplement such existing programs. It will allow for articulation into a four-year degree program at our partner institution, the University of Southern Queensland (USQ)."

Students in the new program will be able to major in either civil or environmental engineering: UNE will provide the environmental engineering units, while civil engineering units will be delivered from USQ. "At least 75 per cent of the program will be delivered by UNE," Mr Glencross-Grant said.

"The program will be geared towards engineering practice in regional Australia," he continued, "and will benefit from UNE's recognised expertise in environmental management – including an environmentally sensitive approach to engineering.

"The part-time option enables employers to offer traineeships. Fourteen have already been offered by consultancies and local councils – mainly from the New England and North West regions. The traineeships will provide students with $10,000 to help them with their full-time first year, and allow for study time during the subsequent four years of part-time study. Employers are keen to recruit students from their own areas so that they will be more likely to stay on after graduation."

He explained that the first year would be science-based, allowing students the option – if they completed it successfully – of changing direction at that point from another scientific discipline to engineering, or vice versa. "The whole program – including this aspect of flexibility – is, in fact, unique," he said.

While initially targeting local government councils and engineering consultants in northern NSW, the program's conveners are hoping that, after a few years, it will have students Australia-wide.

For more information on the new degree program, contact Rex Glencross-Grant on (02) 6773 2668.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at October 29, 2007 03:36 PM