Balfour Beatty is partnering with a new higher education institution that is said to be revolutionising education for engineering degrees in the UK.
The company has teamed up with the New Model Institute for Technology & Engineering (NMITE), based in Hereford.
NMITE has designed its curriculum to “mirror” real-world working environments, with students engaged in projects intended to enhance their practical experience. In this way, it seems to provide students with critical skills and industry knowledge.
The institute’s approach is said to broaden the diversity of candidates through its approach, opening the doors to a braoder range of people who might might otherwise face hurdles in a traditional educational setting, Balfour Beatty said.
Its accelerated degree programme is set up to offer more flexible entry requirements, which includes no prerequisites of maths or physics at A-level. Instead, this is embedded within the curriculum and students are taught what they need to know.
Paul Raby, Balfour Beatty Group’s human resources director, said: “We are thrilled to join forces with NMITE and contribute to their ground-breaking approach to engineering education. By combining our industry expertise with NMITE’s innovative curriculum, we can empower the next generation of engineers to excel in practical skills and meet the evolving demands of the construction industry.
“With this partnership, we can open doors for a diverse range of young people to enter the construction industry by catering to a variety of learning abilities that equips students with a well-rounded skill-set.”
Currently, 60 students and enrolled with NMITE, but the institute aims to grow its student body to approximately 300 by 2027, having received vital funding from the UK Government in 2017.
Through the partnership, Balfour Beatty says it will actively contribute to the NMITE curriculum, ensuring a seamless integration of industry expertise with academia.
Furthermore, the collaboration will see the company provide industrial placements for students on some of Balfour Beatty’s “most exciting and inspiring projects” across the UK, as well as host seminars that provide technical insights into the construction and infrastructure industry.
James Newby, chief executive of NMITE, said: “Our breakthrough, interdisciplinary model of higher education involves, at every stage, engagement with employer partners and work on real life projects.
“What better experience for our students to have than to hone their skills with a partner of the calibre of Balfour Beatty?
“Joining forces with this leading international group will be another fundamental part of shaping tomorrow’s engineers so that students leave NMITE not only work ready but as true game changers.”
Image credit: Alliance Images/Shutterstock
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