A-levels show hope for engineering skills shortage - 20-08-2007 - 17:42

Encouraging signs that the skills shortage in engineering could find some relief can be seen in the number of pupils taking maths and physics at A-level, according to the Royal Academy of Engineering.

The skills shortage, reported anecdotally across the industry and quantified in last months Institute of Engineering Technology, could be eased as the number of recent A-level pupils who could take up related degrees did not drop as in the past.

An IET study reported that only 56 per cent of engineering companies thought they would be able to find sufficient candidates to recruit this year.

But with a halt to the trend of falling numbers of students completing A-levels in Maths and Physics, pre-requisites for an engineering course, a start has been made to making up the shortfall.

Professor Matthew Harrison, director of the Royal Academy of Engineering's education programme, told the builderandengineer website: "The most important thing is that it is not a fall. Year after year we've had a drop in physics and for the first time in years we haven't had that fall. And that's fantastic."

Engineering grad sets up company with competition prize - 14-08-2007 - 11:05

An engineering graduate at North East Wales Institute (Newi) launched his own business after winning an entrepreneurship competition.

Landry Awono won the Dragon's Den-style E-Factor competition at Newi and used the funds he was awarded to start up his own company.

Steve Bellis, who appeared on Dragon's Den and walked away with more than he had asked for, was among the judges who awarded Landry Awono the £200 prize donated by Go Wales.

Joined by fellow Newi engineering graduates Bernhard Bonney and Andreas Gaede, he established Protexx Engineering with the aim of creating affordable products and technology for schools and businesses throughout the developing world.

Now, the company has secured its first big contract.

After months in product development and placing bids for contracts, the young company will build an electronic laboratory board which students preparing for the HNC in electrical engineering can conduct experiments on.

The educational tools have been ordered by College Vogt, a Cameroonian high school and higher education college.

John Marsh made Academy fellow - 07-08-2007 - 16:10

The chief technology officer of a Scottish laser firm has had his achievements in engineering recognised with a place as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Professor John Marsh, who works for Intense Ltd of Glasgow, was voted into the position.

Lord Browne of Madingley, the president of the academy, which promotes engineering and technological welfare of the UK, said : "Our new Fellows demonstrate the importance of engineering in the modern world."

He added: "They are the cream of the UK's engineering talent and many of them are actively involved in meeting some of the world's greatest challenges: energy provision, climate change, and sustainable use of materials. We salute their achievements and invite their help in moving engineering to the centre of society."

Prof John Marsh will become a member of a group which gives impartial advice to the government and aims to help create a new generation of engineers.

Intense, where Prof Marsh works is a provider of single and multimode monolithic laser array products and high power laser diodes.