Engineering is a great career option to consider if you enjoy problem solving, innovation and being creative. Not only does it provide you with employability skills to secure a job when you graduate, it also offers great earning potential. The Engineering Professors Council report (2021) found that just fifteen months after leaving university, 82% of Engineering graduates are in highly skilled roles and, after ten years, they earn an average of nearly £12,000 more than graduates from other subjects.
However, Engineering is perceived to be a difficult and challenging subject that requires a background in mathematics and physics to be successful - and is typically seen as a predominantly a male industry too. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to be a successful engineer, regardless of background, which is why we offer lots of support and pathways to become an engineer.
If you’re considering a degree in Engineering but are worried that you haven’t got the right qualifications or background, read on to find out how we will support you to reach your dream career!
1. Foundation Year
We offer all of our Engineering degrees with foundation year options, including mechanical, manufacturing, automotive and electronic. This provides a stepping-stone between where you are at now and the first year of the BEng degree to prepare you to get the most out of your studies.
This is a great option if you don’t get enough points to go straight onto the first year, or if you want to take a year to get familiar with the subject before committing to the full degree. On our Engineering degrees with a foundation year, you’ll learn about mathematics and science specifically in an engineering context, plus you’ll develop practical skills so that you feel confident starting your first year.
2. Scholarships for female applicants
In collaboration with Women in Science and Engineering (WISE), we offer a £1,000 bursary each year to our female Engineering applicants. All female applicants have the chance to submit a response to a short brief for the chance to win this prize, designed to kick-start a career in Engineering. Find out more about the WISE bursary here.
3. Personal Tutor
When you start an Engineering degree with us, you’ll be assigned a ‘personal tutor’ who will be an Engineering member of staff to support with any course or student-related queries. Your personal tutor is your go-to person for any queries or issues. For example, if you are struggling with a module or unsure of something on your course – or if you have a question about student life more generally, your personal tutor is there to support you.
4. Mentor programme
You can apply to be part of our mentor programme that allows you to request a mentor, based on your individual needs and what you are looking to achieve. Your unique requirements are matched with a mentor - who could be someone who works at BCU or in industry - to work together to help you reach your goals.
5. Centre for Academic Success (CAS) support for mathematics
Everyone’s experience of mathematics at school is very different, so we don’t expect everyone to join our engineering courses with the same level of experience in this subject. To help you to achieve your full potential, the Centre for Academic Success team can give you advice on study skills, academic writing, English language, mathematics, programming and more.
6. Weekly student demonstrators scheduled sessions
We provide the option for regular support sessions, led by our enthusiastic student demonstrators. These are weekly informal meetings where you can ask general questions about topics related to mathematics and engineering principles, review a particular topic or question from the module’s resources, or simply strengthen your skills. You can choose from several sessions to accommodate your schedule and, alternatively, you can request a one-to-one peer support session.
7. Extra support and feedback sessions
We offer extra support for students who might need to go over the work in more detail so that they fully get to grips with the Engineering modules. You can also request feedback sessions after assessments, so you can review what are the next steps needed for you to succeed.
8. Revision week sessions
Ahead of exams we offer revision week sessions, to revisit modules and topics studied throughout the year, so that you feel prepared and confident. Within this, we also offer the option to cover specific areas that you feel less confident in such as science or mathematics and our academic support staff go through the work in more detail.
9. Members of WISE
We are proud to have a diverse student and staff community and encourage everyone, from all backgrounds to study this subject and feel supported to do that. As members of WISE, we support females into Engineering by working with local schools to run events for International Women in Engineering Day each year and work closely with our female students to ensure they feel represented.
Watch a recent webinar with Acting Head of Department, Professor Laura Leyland and Engineering students on The Future of Women in Engineering.
So no matter whether you are joining us from BTEC, A-level, sixth-form, college, or maybe you are returning to study after taking some time away – rest assured that you will be supported every step of the way and our dedicated staff and teams will be around to help you get the most out of your degree.
Find the right course for you
We offer a range of foundation year, undergraduate and postgraduate Engineering courses, including Mechanical, Manufacturing, Automotive and Electronic. Browse our courses pages and find the best course for you.
