
Skills Bootcamp: Digital Skills for Smart Manufacturing
Currently viewing course to start in 2022/23 Entry.
This Skills Bootcamp will provide knowledge of Machine Learning, Cybersecurity and Internet of Things technologies, all of which are highly transferable and very much in demand in the manufacturing, energy, transport and healthcare sectors.
- Level Short Course
- Study mode Short Course
- Location City Centre
- Award N/A
- Start date February 2023
- School School of Computing and Digital Technology
- Faculty Faculty of Computing, Engineering and The Built Environment
Overview
Skills Bootcamps are part of the government’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee to help everyone gain skills for life. They are intensive short-term training courses that provide you with an invaluable opportunity to gain sought-after sector-specific skills.
This Skills Bootcamp will provide knowledge of Machine Learning, Cybersecurity and Internet of Things technologies, all of which are highly transferable and very much in demand in the manufacturing, energy, transport and healthcare sectors.
According to recent research by Made Smarter West Midlands, 80% of manufacturers have identified skills gaps in digital technologies, particularly in understanding, managing and securing data. With the accelerated growth in the sector, professionals with the requisite skills, knowledge and digital literacy are highly valued by employers.
What's covered in this course?
The course will provide solid grounding in the skillsets used in Smart Manufacturing and related industries including:
- Introduction to data analysis
- Strategies for data management
- Machine Learning and its applications
- Cybersecurity essentials
- Strategies for securing data in organisations
- Planning cybersecurity operations
- Introduction to Internet of Things
- Business opportunities for Smart systems
- Smart manufacturing, smart supply chain, smart utilities
- Planning and designing a Smart Manufacturing solution
The Skills Bootcamp provides guided learning on the latest digital core technologies required in Smart Manufacturing, providing skills which will enable you to identify and apply smart solutions for industry.
The course has been designed by leading academics to create a comprehensive introduction to the core technologies of Smart Manufacturing.
Delivered online - two sessions per week over an eight-week period - the course provides the opportunity to gain additional professional accreditations such as Microsoft certification. The course also offers an applied on-campus session during the final week.
Fees & How to Apply
The University reserves the right to increase fees in line with inflation based on the Retail Prices Index or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament up to a maximum of five per cent.
Essential Entry Requirements
- Meet the Department for Education's Skills for Life eligibility requirements
- GCSE English language and mathematics at grade C / 4 or above
- Equivalent level 2 or above qualifications can be accepted
- Must have been achieved at the point of enrolment
Apply Now
Course Fees:
This Skills Bootcamp is free for self-referring individuals to apply and study. Employers who wish to upskill their personnel using the Skills Bootcamp programme will only be charged between 10% and 30% of the training costs (dependent on business size.) The remainder will be funded by the Department for Education. Please email andrew.neilson@bcu.ac.uk for more details.
Course Duration
Start date: February 2023
- Flexible learning
- Two online sessions per week for eight weeks
- Access to on campus labs and support
- Location: Online, with access to facilities at our City Centre Campus if required
Facilities & Staff
Our Facilities
We are constantly investing in our estate and are currently in the process of spending £260 million on new learning facilities. This course will be taught at Millennium Point at the City Centre Campus.
The course is supported with a wide range of cutting-edge facilities in the City Centre Campus. We have a state-of-the-art computer games technology lab which contains high-performance PCs, Sony PlayStation development kits and a range of industry standard software including Unity, Unreal and a suite of professional Microsoft development tools.
We also have many open access areas where students can study together and even hire out laptops for use in these spaces and others within the university.
Within the University there are many internationally recognised research teams giving you the opportunity to collaborate with them on exciting interdisciplinary projects.

Computer networking
The laboratories are well-equipped for all our computer networking courses, as well as specialist areas for practical work such as voice-over internet protocol (VoIP), forensic and ethical hacking technologies, wireless and mobile technologies and radio frequency identification technologies to name but a few.

Software development and computer programming
There are a number of open access, software development and computer programming laboratories that can be used to develop systems and programmes, including database management systems such as MySQL, to name but a few.

Systems laboratories
Our embedded systems laboratories are used to develop real-time systems, such as specialist hardware training and development resources, and industrial-standard software development and simulation tools. These include microcontroller software and robotics design and development, to name but a few.

Electronic systems
To underpin the basic principles of electronic systems, we have a well-equipped laboratory of general and specialist test and measurement kits, including powered prototyping development boards, dual power supplies, frequency generators and counters and digital multi-meters to name but a few.
Forensic computing
Our successful development of forensic computing has led to a specialist forensics laboratory that is fully equipped with essential hardware and software for this sensitive area of study. The laboratory includes high-spec PCs with built-in multi interface Tableau write blockers, EnCase and FTK computer forensic software and steganography detection and analysis software, to name but a few.
More on our facilities
Enquiries
Contact andrew.neilson@bcu.ac.uk for further details.