Loughborough College staff and students have been talking to ITV Central News at the launch of a pioneering programme leading the way in creating a whole new generation of space engineers.
The aim of the new Higher Apprenticeship in Space Engineering from Loughborough College, in association with the National Space Academy and the University of Leicester, is to ensure a steady flow of highly-trained, highly-qualified entrants into the industry.
Minister for Skills and Enterprise Matthew Hancock was at the launch and told ITV of its importance in staying ahead of the opposition: “The Space Engineering Higher Apprenticeship will help people get into this fast-expanding industry.”
Speaking to ITV about the degree-level, work-based programme Dr Martin Killeen, Head of Technology at Loughborough College, explained: “There is predicted to be a real skills shortage in the next five or six years so this programme is designed to help the space industry meet that shortage.
“We need to get rid of the old image of engineering being boys in suits with grubby hands – this is a very clean, high-tech, high-profit industry which needs a highly-skilled and highly academic intake.”
Space engineering has been called a ‘male, pale and stale’ industry with few women and an ageing workforce with a narrow demographic. The 18+ Higher Apprenticeship aims to help tackle this – and next year’s intake of students on Loughborough College’s highly successful Space Engineering 16+ course is a 50/50 split between male and female students.
Loughborough College first year space engineering student Fahima Saiyed told ITV that women should not be put off a career in the sector: “There is the chance for women to go forward in what has been a male-dominated sector. It hasn’t put me off. The males on this course are actually really nice!”
Second year space engineering student Nigel Grainger explained: “Once I heard about the opportunities in space engineering through Loughborough College I thought it would be a good thing to get into. Loads of young people dream about getting into space but not many get the chance to follow through on it.”
Olivia Puttnam, in her first year of the course, added: “My grandfather always talked to me about the stars and I thought it would be great to go even further. When I started looking at missions it started getting even more interesting.”
ITV described how the young people set to join the Higher Apprenticeship in Space Engineering will hopefully one day turn masters of an industry increasingly vital to our country’s economic success.