2010 Courses  

EWB/RAEng: International Development Workshop Part 1

Technology can drive extraordinary change. This workshop focuses on the use of technology to change the lives of billions of people around the world who live in poverty, without access to clean water or sanitation, telephones, electricity and livelihoods. These are some of the biggest problems of our time and will continue to be so, unless the engineers and engineering leaders of the future have the awareness, understanding and skills needed to solve them. This workshop is an introduction aimed at participants who have little or no prior experience in these issues. It will be led by Dr Heather Cruickshank, a lecturer at the University of Cambridge in Engineering for Sustainable Development, and will be based on materials developed by Engineers Without Borders UK from a Masters degree course established in conjunction with Engineers Without Borders Spain.

EWB/RAEng: International Development Workshop Part 2

Again led by Dr Heather Cruickshank, this follow-on workshop will explore theory on development economics, systems thinking and advanced planning techniques including participatory learning analysis and logical framework analysis (commonly used international development projects, but widely applicable in other management texts). Case studies from EWB-UK’s own projects will be used, including a roads project in Dadiya, Nigeria. Objectives include:

• Understand the principles behind international development economics.

• Understand how changing technological capability and perspectives impact upon development initiatives.

• Gain an insight into how development technology and economics has developed over the past 50 years.

• Gain knowledge of the different types of intervention.

• Understand the need to empower communities, giving them the resources they need to build themselves out of poverty.

• Gain an insight into the challenges behind project implementation by talking to EWB-UK placement students.

Negotiation Skills Part 1

This one-day course at the Academy aims to achieve the following:

• An understanding of the basics of negotiating.

• An awareness of the importance of negotiations.

• Develop the different techniques in negotiation.

• Develop an understanding of the preparation of a negotiation.

• Differentiate from the styles and tactics of negotiating.

• Manage objectives.

• Demonstrate the importance of bargaining.

Negotiation Skills Part 2

This one-day follow-on course will include the following:

• Best practice with regard to team based negotiation.

• Introduction to the six principles of persuasive communication.

• An introduction to the factors that influence the environment in which negotiation takes place.

• Personal negotiation style profile discussion.

• Team based negotiation simulation.

RedR/RAEng Course: “So you think you want to be a Relief Worker”

This one-day course will help you decide if disaster relief is for you and then help you find ways of becoming a relief worker. It will help you understand the nature of humanitarian relief and the different types of organisations involved in this work. The course will be tailored towards engineers, and talks from returned relief workers are a highlight of the day.

By the end of the day, you will be able to:

• Better understand how the humanitarian sector operates

• Question and learn from experienced humanitarian workers

• Know how to make contact with key agencies

• Identify what to do next to get involved and how to go about it

Lunch and refreshments are provided.

For further information about RedR, please visit their website: www.redr.org.uk

Concrete Technology

Engineering is vital to maintaining and enhancing society. Nowhere is this more evident than in the built environment where commerce, healthcare, education and transport all require purpose built facilities. This one day course at the Academy, delivered as a partnership between the Academy and Laing O'Rourke, will explore how recent changes in construction materials and methods have produced a new generation of buildings that are lighter, greener, lower cost than ever before. In particular, developments in concrete technologies allow much greater use of pre-cast building elements, opening up rapid methods of construction, longer spans and more slender beams. The morning component of the course will review some of these developments and in the afternoon, students will be taken to view a number of practical instances in West London where these technologies are being deployed.

EWB/RAEng Energy Workshop for International Development

A one-day workshop organised in partnership with the Engineers without Borders which aims to convey:

• An understanding of the concepts of power and energy, and the relationship between energy availability and human development.

• An understanding of the principles and considerations regarding the main forms of renewable energy.

• A practical knowledge of renewable energy system construction.

• An awareness of the many factors affecting energy projects within developing countries.

Public Engagement Course

This is an intensive, practical one day course focusing on engaging public audiences with engineering. Engineers have a responsibility to communicate their work to those that might be affected by it and to the wider public. This workshop contains sessions on different communication and engagement activities currently in use, a range of communication skills and techniques, as well as an overview of the engagement community and opportunities open to participants (e.g. becoming Science and Engineering Ambassadors, taking part in Festivals, National Science and Engineering Week etc). The aims of the day are to provide participants with key transferable skills, such as:

• The knowledge, communications skills and tools to engage various publics.

• An introduction to the variety of platforms and diversity of creative formats available for public engagement.

• The opportunity to look at engineering in a wider context and consider the impact of engineering on society.

• The opportunity to practise new skills and reflect on how these skills link to personal development plans.

NOTE: The skills workshop is designed to be an interactive learning experience, enabling participants to become active Engineering Communicators.

Project Management

This two-day residential course is designed for engineering undergraduates from all disciplines who want to enhance their knowledge and understanding of engineering project management. The programme has been designed to be active so that students can also acquire practical skills. A group simulation exercise runs over both days of the course.

The aim of the course is to give students a training experience which goes beyond the introduction to project management that they may receive as part of their degree studies.

A real-world feel to the course is provided by industrial speakers through a partnership with the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB).

Entrepreneurship

The Academy is offering an invaluable opportunity for engineering students to discover for themselves what it really means to become an ‘Engineering Entrepreneur’. The two day residential course is designed to give enterprising engineering students an opportunity to better understand the mystique that is entrepreneurship and discover how they could apply entrepreneurial skills and knowledge to set themselves on the road to success. The course will include the opportunity to:

• Understand what it takes to become an entrepreneur.

• Generate ideas for new products and services.

• Understand the importance of market research and marketing.

• Appreciate the significance of intellectual property.

• Meet real entrepreneurs and help them with key business decisions.

• Get help with business planning and finance.

• Network with like minded students and active entrepreneurs.

• Pitch your own business idea to a panel of experts.

Evision/RAEng Personal Development Course WILD1

Based at the Dartmoor Training Centre in the National Park, the WILD weekends enable engineering undergraduates to develop their leadership and team building skills with practical based and challenging activities.

The first weekend of the WILD experience focuses on basic theories behind the concepts of teamwork and leadership and applies those theories in a variety of challenging situations. You will look at leadership styles and be in an environment where you can start to develop an awareness of your own strengths and worth within a team.

The main part of the weekend will be your participation in the famous ‘Operation Engineer’, whereby you will be set a mixture of challenges to overcome. You will look at the difference between leadership & management, what makes a good leader, a good team, and what makes a good team leader.

For further information on WILD1, please visit the website: www.evisionwild.com 

Evision/RAEng Personal Development Course WILD2

WILD2 looks at the development of your Leadership with a focus on managing and coaching and delivering results through others. The WILD team firmly believe that leadership is about behaviour and their relationship with others. Team work, the art of building a team, and recognising your role within a team are essential factors in your personal development and in relation to your leadership progression.

You will be challenged with a number of practical tasks where you will be introduced to the Foggintor Quarry. The weekend culminates with an overnight camp with a difference, where your knowledge, skills and instincts will be tested in one of the wildest of our National Parks.

For further information on WILD2, please visit the website: www.evisionwild.com 

Renewable Energy Technologies Course

This course is aimed primarily at students who intend to develop careers in the sustainability/alternative energy/environmental engineering sectors. During three days you will be provided with a comprehensive overview of the main forms of power generation from non-fossil, non-nuclear sources. The course will be held at Loughborough University, which is one of the top UK facilities for teaching and research in this subject. In addition to the taught sessions which will be led by recognised authorities in their field, the programme will include practical demonstrations and site visits.

For further information on the research work and facilities at Loughborough University, please visit: www.crestuk.org 

Summer Work Placements or Internships with an Engineering Company

A limited number of awards up to the value of £300 are available to enable summer work placements or internships with an engineering company away from home, i.e. supporting travel and accommodation costs. You will need to provide the following:

• The company name and web address.

• Full details of the work placement (approximately 500 words), including duties and dates.

• The amount of funding needed towards accommodation and/or travel expenses. These awards are competitive and not all applications can be granted.