Digital platform aims to upskill engineering and manufacturing workers

18 May 2020

Made Smarter and engineering skills organisation, Enginuity, have launched a joint platform which aims to deliver digital engineering skills to engineers.

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Believed to be the first learning hub of its kind to specifically target engineering and manufacturing sectors, ENGAGE offers a variety of courses ranging from easy first digital engineering steps to more sophisticated technologies and innovation.

Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, development work on the platform has been accelerated to allow it to support workers at a time when many may have found themselves furloughed. It is also hoped that by helping engineers, technicians and other manufacturing employees to learn about and explore digital processes and engineering techniques there will be a much needed post-pandemic productivity boost. Returning employees will be up-skilled and more agile as a workforce, and better able to adapt and respond to the pace of global technological innovation to help their companies recover at speed.

Some of the country’s most cutting-edge companies, centres of innovation and organisations made content available for the first time for the platform’s launch, including the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, the Institute of Engineering and Technology, Excellence, Achievement and Learning, Make UK and FutureLearn. More content will come from Formula 1 and the Royal Academy of Engineering.

ENGAGE is designed to be easy to navigate and to offer support to learners at all levels. First time digital engineering learners can use a simple chatbot-style interface, which guides them to their specific areas of interest to create a bespoke learning experience.

The platform creators have worked closely with Made Smarter to develop and curate two introductory courses on digital technology and its role in manufacturing and engineering, with content from Made Smarter industry partners. Key technologies covered in the courses include data analytics, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIot), cyber security resilience, industrial and autonomous robotics and additive manufacturing. Those logging on will also be able to become familiar with virtual augmented reality as well as artificial intelligence and its applications alongside machine learning, and throughout the learning experience, users’ understanding will be supplemented by a quick quiz to test learners’ grasp of the subject.

More advanced learners are able to can continue on their digital journey by enrolling in the ENGAGE Academy on the platform to access some more free formal courses in the online classroom space.

Commenting on the new digital learning platform, Ann Watson, CEO Enginuity Group said: “ENGAGE is a collaborative effort from across the sector which will be of real benefit to thousands of users and UK industry as a whole. There is no doubt that engineers will be on the frontline in the battle for economic recovery and this digital initiative will play its part ensuring that as many as possible are equipped to deal with the challenges ahead.

“In order to counter the current crisis, Enginuity and its partners, have worked tirelessly to ensure that the platform was available as soon as possible. The platform will evolve and be enriched as more and more content is made available and uploaded in the coming months. As a result of the collaboration, all of the content on the site will be free of charge for three months with Enginuity ensuring that after that date many hundreds of pieces of content will remain freely available to support the economic rebound.”

To access the Made Smarter First Steps to digital manufacturing and Enginuity’s wider content go to: https://enginuity.org/innovation-lab/engage/