Engineering (RQF) Pearson BTEC Level 4 Higher National Certificate (HNC)

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Study Mode: Course Level: 4

If you have completed your engineering apprenticeship and want to progress further in your career, are working as an engineering operative and want to improve your skills, or want to move up the career ladder into a supervisory or management role in the industry, an HNC is a great qualification to have.

The HNC is mainly a theory-led classroom-based course which will give you the skills, knowledge and confidence to achieve your ambition or move on to further study such as an HND or university degree.

There are two pathways on offer - manufacturing engineering and mechanical engineering and throughout the programme you will study a range of mandatory modules, as well as a choice of specialism-specific modules which best suit your interests and future career plans.

To access the course you are required to have:

Level 3 BTEC engineering qualification OR
T Level in Engineering qualification OR
Relevant industry experience with Level 3 maths*

You will also be required to attend a college interview and assessment.

During the course you will study a selection of the the following mandatory modules:

Manufacturing processes
Manufacturing planning and scheduling principles
Manufacturing operations mathematics
Business improvement techniques for engineers
Engineering design
Engineering maths
 Engineering science
Managing a professional engineering project

In additon, you will study a number of specialist modules from the following selection:

Manufacturing Engineering

Lean techniques for manufacturing operations
Creating and managing projects in manufacturing operations
Programmable logic controllers (PLCs)
Mechatronic systems in manufacturing
Engineering design
Engineering science
Managing a professional engineering project
Instrumentation and control systems
Quality and process improvement
Computer aided design and manufacture (CAD/CAM)

Mechanical Engineering

Digital principles
Electrical and electronic principles
Instrumentation and control systems
Mechatronics
Production engineering for manufacture
Electro, pneumatic and hydraulic systems
Mechanical principles
Fluid mechanics
Production engineering for manufacture

By studying this course you will:

Further develop your understanding of engineering principles
Further develop your understanding of manufacturing/mechanical principles
Gain an in-depth understanding of technical information and its application in a working environment
Learn how to apply theoretical knowledge to solve engineering problems
Understand the relevance and implications of a range of manufacturing processes
Analyse and design engineering solutions
Develop an appreciation of leadership roles in the engineering industry

Throughout the course you will be assessed in the following ways:

Observation
Written assessments
Assignments
Research
Practical tasks
Exams

Completion of the course will enable you to :

Work in the industry as a manufacturing engineer or design engineer
Gain a management or supervisory role in the industry
Progress to a higher level qualification such as an HND or university degree

Tutors on the course are all qualified engineers - at degree level or above - have extensive experience of working in the industry.

You will train at our new state-of-the-art Advanced Technology and Automotive Centre at the Welington Road campus in Bilston - due to open in September 2024 - an industry-standard learning centre which will be equipped with a range of equipment including millers, lathes, CNC tooling, 3D printers and laser cutters, as well as fabrication and welding equipment such as TIG, MIG and ARC welders, and CAD suites.