This immersive and interactive programme has been developed with industry input and it explores foundational and most recent technologies in the automotive industry in the field of sustainable materials and manufacturing processes. A strong focus will be placed on systems engineering and Circular (eco) design and Life Cycle Engineering.
Designed with and for engineers working in the automotive sector.
Enhance and develop technical skills in sustainable automotive materials engineering.
Develop transferable skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, report writing skills and data analysis.
Has earned high praise in an Ofsted report for its innovative and impactful degree apprenticeship programmes.
Overview
The course offers a unique opportunity to develop the skills necessary to pursue a career in the area of Sustainable Automotive Material Engineering. Whether developing new skills, or re-skilling based on prior experience, the course touches on all aspects pertinent to this field. The course covers in detail the motivations for and strategies employed by businesses in pursuing sustainable automotive materials engineering in the automotive industry; through the legislation and engineering processes, to the technologies, systems and control methods down to the design of the components necessary to deliver safe, reliable products to consumers and stakeholders.
Apprentices will explore the effects of sustainability requirements on automotive engineering decisions and understand the effects of materials in terms of environmental impact. They will also explore the interaction of material, manufacturing process and design on the performance of engineered automotive products as well as the wider implications of their use on the environment. As well as the technical skills, apprentices will apply and further develop transferable skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, report writing skills and data analysis.
We welcome enquiries from businesses who want to upskill existing employees or want to recruit fresh talent perhaps as part of a graduate scheme.
What you'll study
Sustainable Automotive Research: The content will focus on the motivations for pursuing a policy of creating automobiles in a sustainable manner, mainly stemming from the 2015 Paris Agreement. The module will also introduce the "target zero" emissions policy in terms of zero CO2 tailpipe emissions and zero CO2 materials and component production. The module then introduces the overarching legislative and regulatory frameworks alongside organisational and strategic approaches of manufacturers in response to the problem.
Systems Engineering: The module seeks to provide students with an understanding of the implication of automotive system design and engineering on the environmental and social impact of products, as well as impart an awareness of the tools and processes to design optimised architectures and solutions. Students will gain experience with practical application of systems engineering methodology, including evaluation of customer needs and translation into technical requirements. The module will address the application of sustainable material principles in the design of complex automotive applications.
Circular (eco)design and Life Cycle Engineering: A broad overview of the challenges arising from pursuing sustainable production in the automotive industry. Students will gain insight into topics such as decarbonisation pathways, material circularity, the environmental impact of materials processing and reuse/remanufacturing. A range of tools will be introduced to tackle these environmental challenges, such as Life Cycle Engineering tools (material selection, manufacturing selection, end-of-life) and Life Cycle Analysis.
Material Properties and Selection Criteria: This module will give students the tools required for scientific material selection. The module provides comprehensive knowledge of metallic and polymeric materials used in automotive manufacturing. The environmental and cost implications of selecting certain materials will be considered, including areas of end-of-life, manufacturing processes and use/repair.
Metals Processing: A sound grounding in traditional, and state-of-the-art, metal processing techniques. Students will gain an advanced understanding of how the suitability of a metal is related to its properties, processability and cost. Students will also gain an understanding of the environmental impact of metal processing, as well as practical experience of metal forming simulation techniques.
Polymers and Composites Processing: This module will equip students with comprehensive knowledge of different polymer classes, including properties, processing techniques and finishing operations. Students will gain an understanding of the environmental considerations of utilising polymers, as well as the CAE techniques to predict component behaviour.
Automotive Joining: Students will gain an advanced understanding of the three major types of joining (fusion, mechanical and adhesive) and the technical considerations required for successful application of each. Emphasis is also placed on the environmental impacts and considerations for automotive joining, particularly recycling issues. Technical considerations such as structural vs aesthetic joints, multi-material joining and comparison of mechanical properties of joining types.
Teaching and learning
The course is taught face-to-face. There are guest lecturers from the industry as well as laboratory demonstrations of material processing and testing. Learning is reinforced through group exercises. Some modules do require some pre-work. Please contact us for details.
All modules, except Systems Engineering. are assessed as 80% post-module assessment (essay-style question) and 20% in-module assessment (group work with presentation).
Systems Engineering is assessed as 70% post-module assessment (essay-style question), 10% Self-guided learning assessment and 20% in-module assessment (group work with presentation).
Entry requirements
This course is aimed at engineers working in the automotive sector and designed for those in employment as you will need to apply your studies directly to the work environment throughout the programme. We recommend you have at least three years of appropriate professional experience and that you possess the equivalent of a UK second-class honours degree.
The course is also open to talented people without a first degree, who have relevant work experience, have taken a less-traditional route in their career and who will have shown great potential in the business. Please contact us to discuss.
How to apply
To enrol on the programme, you must have the support of your employer as we only offer this as a closed programme. If you are already in work, please talk to your employer about potential opportunities to partner with us.
Employers
If you are interested in this programme, please email us and we will get back to you to discuss your requirements.
Partner with us for your Degree Apprenticeships and attract emerging talent or upskill and develop existing staff. If you would like to find out more about our programmes please contact us now for an informal, no-obligation discussion about your requirements.
