Professional Training
Overview
A pioneer in integrated Professional Training, the University of Surrey has been operating its scheme over the last 40 years, earning widespread respect from employers and professional institutions.
The Department of Mechanical Engineering Sciences (MES) has built up strong relationships with top companies in the UK and abroad. As a result, MES students are regularly placed in multinational companies (e.g. Airbus, Cummins, General Motors, Pfizer), engineering consultancies (e.g. Atkins, Noble Denton) and numerous small and medium sized companies.
The MES Professional Training Year programme is accredited by the IMechE. Twelve-month placements are supervised by the academic staff and the student’s Professional Training performance is assessed as part of the final degree. The experience our graduates gain from their placement contributes to Surrey’s reputation as “The University for Jobs” (Sunday Times).
Our Scheme Offers You an Opportunity To…
• Identify and recruit top students
• Develop students who will have an understanding of your organisation upon graduation
• Build a wider relationship with the University of Surrey
Our Students Are…
• Prepared for industry with technical, communication and teamwork skills
• Receptive to new ideas and learn quickly
• Dedicated to undertaking a year in an engineering work environment
• Educated to Year 2 of a BEng programme
• Educated to Year 2 or 3 of a MEng programme
Key Participants in Professional Training
Employer
• Plans the training and work programme to be undertaken by the student
• Treats the student as an employee on short term contract
• Participates in the assessment of the student by giving feedback on the student’s performance at work on completion of the placement
Visiting Tutor
• Is an academic from the MES Department
• Visits the student at the company three times during the year
• Monitors and assesses the student’s progress
• Establishes a link with the employer
• Counsels the student confidentially
Student
• Carries out the work specified by the employer
• Completes three progress reports and a final report for the University covering professional and personal development
• Gives a presentation about the placement on returning to the University
The responsibilities of each participant are contained in the Placement Agreement, signed by all parties at the start of the placement.
Finding a Student
To advertise your one-year placement to our Mechanical, Medical or Aerospace Engineering students, please contact Kathy Lilley with the following information:
• Short company description• Job description
• Start date (between July and October)
• How to apply (CV, application form etc.)
• Application deadline
Contact us
To find out more or to register your interest, please contact:
"Developing my ability to communicate to working professionals in a transnational company was an invaluable experience."
“We consistently offer year-long placements to MMA students from Surrey. We find that very quickly, they can get up to speed and we can give them graduate level tasks under supervision. We consider the placement as a year long interview and have offered jobs to a number of previous students.
An additional benefit for the company is that it establishes good personal links within the MMA Division. This can always be useful if we need specialist engineering advice or facilities.”
“We support industrial year students from Surrey each year - these students show great potential for their level of experience, and often return to 2H following graduation to begin their careers.”
“We know that we will receive many more good applications for placements from students at the University of Surrey than from any other university. We are always impressed by their focus, commitment and the way they present themselves for interview.”
Dave Harper, Engineering Training Manager, NATS