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Fire Safety Engineer (Apprenticeship) - BEng (Hons)

Currently viewing course to start in 2023/24 Entry.

The Fire Safety Bill introduced March 2020, identified 1.6 million buildings that require inspection on a regular basis. Significantly, whilst the number of fires decreases, the level of severity of those that occur is increasing. This is of concern and means that deeper understanding of why this is and, of course, how this can be avoided is critical....

  • Level Apprenticeship
  • Study mode Blended Learning
  • Location City Centre
  • Award BEng (Hons)
  • Start date January 2024
  • School School of Engineering and the Built Environment
  • Faculty Faculty of Computing, Engineering and The Built Environment

Explore this course

Overview

The Fire Safety Bill introduced March 2020, identified 1.6 million buildings that require inspection on a regular basis. Significantly, whilst the number of fires decreases, the level of severity of those that occur is increasing. This is of concern and means that deeper understanding of why this is and, of course, how this can be avoided is critical.

Ongoing updates from government publications continue to show the need for professionally accredited engineers which the proposed Fire Safety Apprenticeship will address.

This degree apprenticeship is fully informed and supported by industry practice and recognised research in design and delivery of modules by experienced staff who have extensive industry experience.

The curriculum is practice led and cultivates problem solving skills, improving communication through effective real-life project work, work experience, and cases. Team working on real life scenarios develop professional competence and prepares you for further employment opportunities and career development.

This degree apprenticeship has been developed to provide you with a good knowledge of a range of engineering principles. It will prepare you for the rapidly developing field of fire safety engineering and its supporting operational systems. Upon your completion you will have the intellectual, creative and personal qualities necessary for undertaking a leadership role and a depth of knowledge that will enable the application of new and emerging technologies to the solution of fire safety problems.

The degree apprenticeship in fire safety engineering will develop you as a skilled engineer capable of undertaking fire safety engineering tasks within and across organisations. The apprenticeship focuses on the importance of sustainable futures and the Government's STEM agenda, in order to give you the knowledge and attributes you will need to thrive in this ever-changing industry.

You'll work on industry-standard analytical tools, develop your design skills, as well as exploring a wide range of facilities, such as our burning house simulation.

This apprenticeship focuses on project-based activities, giving you lots of opportunity to work in teams on projects from design to implementation. This will enhance your practical experience of applying engineering science to real world problems, working in multidisciplinary teams to develop your interpersonal skills, and prepare you for a key aspect of modern engineering practice. Problem solving and project management are key skills for an engineer, and our focus on practical experience will help to improve your skills in these highly sought-after areas.

During your studies, you will use the latest tools and technologies, developing new skills at an advanced level. The apprenticeship will encourage your creative thinking and develop your engineering leadership skills. Building on a foundation of the generic skills required by tomorrow’s engineers, you will also explore the wider context of engineering, as well as the application of advanced engineering principles to solve problems through research and development.

You’ll engage in independent study and systematic enquiry at an advanced level and take responsibility for the conclusions drawn from it. You will have lots of opportunity to apply industry-standard modelling and simulation techniques to the analysis, specification and design of mechanical engineering systems so that you are able to apply your knowledge and theory to a practical situation.

Entry Requirements

We accept a range of qualifications, the most popular of which are detailed below.

Essential

112 UCAS tariff points from A/AS Level

Level 2 qualifications

GCSE

  • GCSE English Language and Mathematics at grade C/4 or above
  • Equivalent level 2 qualifications can be accepted
  • Must have been achieved at the point of enrolment

Irish Leaving Certificate (Ordinary Level)

  • See level 3 entry under Irish Leaving Certificate for full details

Scottish Intermediate 2

  • English Language and Mathematics at grade C or above
  • Must have been achieved at the point of enrolment

Scottish Credit Standard Grade

  • English Language and Mathematics at grade 2 or above
  • Must have been achieved at the point of enrolment

Scottish National 5

  • English language and mathematics at grade C or above
  • Must have been achieved at the point of enrolment
Plus one of the following Level 3 (and above) qualifications

A level and Advanced VCE

  • BBC / 112 UCAS points
  • Must include A-level mathematics at grade C or above
  • A maximum of 3 subjects are considered. These can be other A-levels or level 3 equivalents.

Access to HE Diploma

  • 60 credits overall. Minimum of 45 credits at level 3. Including 12 credits at Merit or Distinction with 9 in Mathematics and 3 in Science. The Access course must be in Engineering
  • Pearson BTEC National Extended Diploma
    (2016 – present)
  • Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF)
    (2010 - 2016)
  • BTEC Level 3 National Diploma
    (2002 – 2010)
  • DMM
  • Must be in Engineering
  • A minimum of Distinction in Mathematics for Technicians unit or Merit in Further Mathematics for Technicians or Calculus unit is required
  • Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma
    (2016 – present)
  • Pearson BTEC Diploma (QCF)
    (2010 – 2016)
  • BTEC Level 3 National Certificate
    (2002 – 2010)
  • 112 UCAS points
  • Considered with one A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification
  • You must obtain EITHER a minimum of Distinction in Mathematics for Technicians unit or Merit in Further Mathematics for Technicians or Calculus unit from a suitable level 3 qualification OR A Level mathematics must be achieved at grade C or above
  • Pearson BTEC National Foundation Diploma (2016 to present)
  • Pearson BTEC 90-Credit Diploma (QCF) (2010 - 2016)
  • 112 UCAS points
  • Considered with one A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification
  • You must obtain EITHER a minimum of Distinction in Mathematics for Technicians unit or Merit in Further Mathematics for Technicians or Calculus unit from a suitable level 3 qualification OR A Level mathematics must be achieved at grade C or above
  • Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate
    (2016 – present)
  • Pearson BTEC Subsidiary Diploma (QCF)
    (2010 - 2016)
  • BTEC Level 3 National Award
    (2002 - 2010)
  • 112 UCAS points
  • Considered with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualification(s)
  • You must obtain EITHER a minimum of Distinction in Mathematics for Technicians unit or Merit in Further Mathematics for Technicians or Calculus unit from a suitable level 3 qualification OR A Level mathematics must be achieved at grade C or above

Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate - Skills Challenge Certificate (first teaching September 2015)

  • 112 UCAS points
  • Considered with one A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification
  • You must obtain EITHER a minimum of Distinction in Mathematics for Technicians unit or Merit in Further Mathematics for Technicians unit from a suitable level 3 qualification OR A Level mathematics must be achieved at grade C or above

Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma – Core (awarded until 2016) ESW/KS Combined component

  • 112 UCAS points
  • Considered with one A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification
  • You must obtain EITHER a minimum of Distinction in Mathematics for Technicians unit or Merit in Further Mathematics for Technicians unit from a suitable level 3 qualification OR A Level mathematics must be achieved at grade C or above

International Baccalaureate Diploma

  • Obtain a minimum of 28 points overall and pass one of the following subjects from Group 4 at Higher Level
  • For students who do not already hold a GCSE in Mathematics at Grade C/4 or above grade 5 in Maths (Standard Level) from the IB Diploma will be accepted
  • For students who do not already hold a GCSE in English Language at Grade C/4 or above Standard Level English Language (not literature) English A - Grade 4 or above or English B - Grade 5 from the IB will be accepted.
Other qualifications

If you have a qualification that is not listed in the table please refer to our full entry requirements on UCAS.

Further guidance on tariff points can be found on the UCAS website.

Additional Requirements

As part of the application process you will be invited to attend an applicant visit day where you will undertake a short one-to-one interview with an academic member of staff. This is your chance to show us how passionate you are about the subject and it will help us make a decision on your application.

This will provide you with more information about the School and your course. In addition, it will give you a chance to meet and our staff and students to gain a better understanding of what it is like to be a student here.

What is a degree apprenticeship?

Higher and degree apprenticeships are an exciting new way to gain a recognised qualification while working full-time and gaining experience in the workplace. These courses are a high-quality alternative to a traditional university degree, combining a university education with workplace experience.

Degree Apprenticeships 

Apprenticeship Course Requirements

Level 4

In order to complete this apprenticeship a learner must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):

Module NameCredit Value
Engineering Principles 1                                                                            20
Engineering Practice 20
Mathematical Modelling 1 20
Integrated Digital Design - Residential 20
Introduction to Fire Safety and Accidents 20
Fire Science and Risk Management 20

Level 5

In order to complete this apprenticeship a learner must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):

Module NameCredit Value
Fire Dynamics 20
Civil Engineering 20
Computational Fluid Dynamics and Finite Element Method 20
Project Management 20
Fire and the Built Environment 20
Health and Safety/Fire Law 20

Level 6

In order to complete this apprenticeship a learner must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):

Module NameCredit Value
Structural Fire Engineering                                                                    20
Fire Safety Management 20
Fire Design Project 20
Fire Thermodynamics 20
Individual Honours Project 40
This course is not open to International students.

Apply through the employer

The first step is to apply directly to an employer who is advertising an apprenticeship position. Opportunities are advertised throughout the year on the Government’s apprenticeships database.

In order to apply for a degree apprenticeship with us, you must secure an apprenticeship job with an employer first. Once you have done this, your employer will send you to study with us.

If you are successful at securing an apprenticeship position, your employer will contact us and we will then invite you to apply for the course.

If you are an employer and interested in enrolling an employee on to this apprenticeship then please email CEBEapprenticeships@bcu.ac.uk for more information.

Apply through the employer

Studying with us during the Covid-19 pandemic

The University has put in place measures in response to Covid-19 to allow us to safely deliver our courses. Should the impact of the pandemic continue in future years, any additional or alternative arrangements put in place by the University will be in accordance with the latest government public health advice, health and safety legislation, and the terms and conditions of the student contract.

Facilities & Staff

Our Facilities

We are currently undertaking a £340 million investment programme in our facilities, including a major expansion of our City Centre Campus. As part of this, our facilities in Millennium Point have undergone a £6.5 million investment to include a new maker area, engineering labs and equipment.

We have invested in industry-standard facilities to support the practice-based elements of our Engineering courses and give students as much practical learning as possible, to prepare for industry placements and job opportunities after graduation. Students have access to our facilities during classes, and can book out of class sessions with our specialist technicians.

We are a partner of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Institute of Technology (GBSIoT) and have secured £1.1 million of government funding for investment in brand-new Engineering equipment and facilities. Funding of £808,000 from the Department for Education has supported our development of an Electric Vehicle (EV) Test Rig, an Additive Manufacturing Machine (3D printer) and a material testing-split zone furnace.

The GBSIoT has enabled procurement of new technologies for material testing, electronics prototyping and production and 3D scanning to compliment computer aided design for manufacture.

Test Cell Facilities

The University Test Cell Facilities are used to enable:
  • Development and delivery of related CPD, Apprenticeships, Undergraduate and Postgraduate provision. This may include understanding and application of: machine equipment digital control systems, system/component testing and identifying/analysing applicable test specifications/regulations for automotive component verification (including performance data).
  • Development and delivery of research projects to reduce mass, weight, costs, lead times and enhance safety critical products and components.
  • Provision of a service to start-ups and businesses for system/component prototype and end product testing. Example: Pre-testing data analysis for automotive component verification. This may include digital twinning to assist such areas as automotive components/systems testing could give a business the ability to stimulate testing scenarios and uncover data driven options for optimisation of its counterpart in real-time, in-order to introduce improvements in build, efficiency, sustainability or safety.

XYZ Machine Tools

We have invested £420,000 in seven new machines from specialist manufacturer XYZ Machine Tools, including: 
  • Three lathes
  • Two mills
  • Vertical Machining Centre
  • Turning Centre

These machines are used by our students, workshop technicians and engineering staff to develop real-world manufacturing skills. They replicate real-world machinery, so by learning how to operate these machines on our courses, our students can develop skills to use that are needed from employers. 

The lathes and the mills have a shared control system, which allow operators to switch from machine to machine very easily. This feature makes working on them more efficient for students who need to produce a large number of parts in a short space of time.

Environmental Lab

The environmental lab is part of the Centre for Low Carbon Research (CLCR) and is home of the bioenergy and bioprocessing research group at the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment. The suite is divided into three main areas a wet lab/pilot facility a fully equipped analytical suite and a microbiological lab. This newly refurbished facility offers state of the art analysis and testing of environmental samples as well as scientific evaluation of lab scale and pilot scale technologies and processes.

The analytical suite includes a broad range of instruments capable of testing the organic, inorganic and physical composition of samples. We also have instruments to test the composition and energy content of various fuel types.

The pilot facility is industry led and contains a 600 litre photobioreactor provided by our lead industrial sponsor Varicon Aqua Solutions Ltd. This is used to evaluate the cultivation of algae and the opportunities for bioremediation and carbon sequestration. A fully automated dosing system and harvesting and extraction system are also included in this facility

Our microbiological lab is currently used for the evaluation of biogas production from various feedstocks. We have state of the automated biomethane potential testing and we are working closely with major utilities and technology providers assessing feedstock pre-treatments for anaerobic digestion.

Learn more about the Centre for Low-Carbon Research

Makers Space

The Level 4 Makers Space is a bright communal space in Millennium Point in which students can find support in building their projects.

The Makers Space is equipped with a laser cutter, 3D printers, and a variety of electronic components like motion, proximity, humidity sensors, and many more.

Electric Vehicle (EV) Test Rig

The EV test rig enables the latest industry technologies to provide advancements in skills, research, design, development and production including understanding and application of:

  • Machine equipment digital control systems
  • System and component testing
  • Identifying and analysing performance data for verification against automotive industry specifications and regulations.

Hands-on use of the EV test rig and LabVIEW (systems engineering software for applications that require test, measurement, and control with rapid access to hardware and data insights) will enable students to understand and manipulate EV motors, gearboxes, connectors and invertors in order to reduce: mass, weight, costs, lead times and enhance critical safety – achieving automotive industry standards.

Additive Manufacturing Machine (3D Printer)

The additive manufacturing machine (AMM metal 3D printer) will enable students to experience transformation of computer aided design (CAD) from packages such as Autodesk to reality. Pre-processing software Materialise magic will be used to create a support structure to convert CAD files for layer manufacture. The software Eplus 3D EP Hatch is then used for process planning to optimise printing path settings based on data that has been sliced using epi to achieve the best printing results.

The AMM produces complex, intricate shapes and geometries for one-offs, prototypes and short runs to industry standard. The machine opens up new design possibilities to students across a multitude of applications, including: aerospace, biomedical, automotive, tooling and research.

The addition of the 3D scanner will enable students to bridge the gap between 3D scanning and CAD for applications:

  • Reverse Engineering
  • Convergent modelling
  • Synchronous modelling
  • Simulation
  • Generative design
  • Additive manufacturing

Students will use the EXscan Pro software package to run scans to provide real-time feedback for scanning data capture to generate a point cloud. EXscan Pro is then used to convert data to a preferred CAD file.

Material Testing - Split Zone Furnace

The testing System provides up to 100 kN (22,500 lbf) Force Capacity and 1200°C with variable temperature control on products and materials: Tensile, Compression, Bend tests.

Simulating working conditions pre-production to advance materials and component properties verification reducing product failure and recall. Students will experience use of Bluehill software for the purpose of machine control, data analysis and reporting of tests performed on metal for measurement to key international standards.


Engineering facilities