Foundation Degree backed by industry

A new higher education qualification which offers excellent job prospects and £1,000 bursaries for full-time students on the first year is being launched by the University of Teesside and its industrial partners this autumn.

The new two-year Foundation Degree in Chemical Technology has enthusiastic support from process industry chiefs on Teesside - and as well as the cash bursaries, full-time students will get two-month paid industrial placements between Year One and Two.

The programme will combine both practical case studies developed in partnership with leading industrial players, such as Huntsman, with in-depth study of areas like Process Technology Principles and Applications on the second year.

Two open days are being held in July for prospective students, employers and careers advisers. These take place in the University’s Innovation and Virtual Reality Centre, off Stephenson Street, Middlesbrough, on Monday 2 July from 1pm to 3pm and on Saturday 7 July from 10am to 12 noon. For more details contact Carol McGonigle on 01642 342427 or e-mail c.mcgonigle@tees.ac.uk

A part-time version of the Foundation Degree will also be available from this September, which is likely to appeal to people already working in the industry and those completing modern apprenticeships.

Anyone requiring additional study in Further Chemistry or Mathematics before starting the Foundation Degree will be able to join special programmes being run over June, July and August by the University’s Summer College.

Dr Ian Pearce, spokesman for the Teesside Chemical Initiative - the industry body representing the chemical industry employers on Teesside - hopes the new qualification will encourage more 16 year-olds to continue studying science after their GCSEs by offering an applied vocational route into higher education.

“We have needed something like this for years,” said Dr Pearce, adding: “If the Foundation Degree had not come along, we would have had to invent something like them ourselves. It will allow us to catch-up with our European competitors by providing high quality technical and vocational qualifications.”

Another advocate is David Allan, Group Human Resources Director for Huntsman’s Tioxide and Petrochemicals businesses on Teesside, who says: “We are very supportive of this new initiative. It is a very good example of excellent collaboration between chemical industry representatives, the academic world and the Government’s further education department officials.

“The scheme has two major key benefits. Firstly, it will provide a positive route into the chemical industry for young people; and, secondly, as jobs in our industry continue to become more and more technically demanding, this course will be a very useful vehicle for up-skilling our existing people and helping them to gain a much deeper academic and theoretical background to add to their practical experience.”

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