TECH
Learning - students on one of the new Newcastle College courses .
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Having a knowledgeable resource in their business that they can lean on when looking at new technologies will be a major asset .”
industrial strategy , who led the college ’ s review of skills requirements for future engineers , explains : “ The crux of digital transformation and Industry 4.0 is data and the ability to collect and manage higher and higher volumes of data .
“ The vision of connected supply chains can ’ t happen without an endto-end ERP system in your business . But before companies can get to that level , they need to understand what the critical incisive data that will drive their business is - whether it ’ s information that helps them drive an enquiry through to an order or provides management with details on how things are going .
“ It ’ s about having that single source of truth , which is best available from an ERP system , so it ’ s imperative that our students understand how ERP systems work and what they are capable of .
“ We went through a tough evaluation program and are satisfied that E-Max ERP is exactly what we wanted . Not only is it a highly functional end-to-end ERP system , the company is a local , well-established provider whose software is used by many other North-East engineering businesses , which makes it a great fit for us .”
E-Max sales director Jason Pritchard notes : “ It ’ s a fantastic opportunity for us to support local initiatives . This new course offers real value , both to students and their future employees .
“ We ’ re delighted that more students will get the chance to experience ERP , as it is still regarded as too much of a challenge by many companies , when in actual fact ERP will reduce or remove many of the challenges they face .
“ Having a knowledgeable resource in their business that they can lean on when looking at new technologies will be a major asset .”
Andrew agrees that smaller SMEs especially will benefit from this programme . “ To me , the overwhelming message of Industry 4.0 is to make the best use of the available technology within your business ,” he says .
“ Engineering businesses have already been doing this for decades . The difference now is that we have the opportunity to develop a new generation of engineers who can not only perform an engineering role but have the ability to understand and apply current and future technology in the workplace .
“ They will be a huge asset for smaller engineering SMEs who don ’ t have the resources to take on a dedicated IT specialist .”
The next intake for FdEng Engineering with Applied Digital Technologies commences in September 2021 . Newcastle College is also looking at developing an apprenticeship programme in this area . To find out more about course options , visit ncl-coll . ac . uk .
Digital transformation ‘ zone ’
One local precision engineer is already recognising the value of employing students with experience in these areas .
Roger Wilson , production manager at EDM Zone , said : “ EDM Zone are always looking to continually improve our business , and engineering coupled with digital technology is a perfect fit for us .
“ We recognise utilising technology is the only way for us to stay sustainable as a business . We are already standardising our processes and are moving closer to having fully automated processes with E-Max ERP at the heart of this progression .
“ Going forward , we ’ ll be using the data captured by our shop floor data collection system and ERP to create dashboards so we have instant real time information , including set-up times , cost of quality etcetera , to make strategic decisions .
“ EDM Zone needs future engineers to understand ERP and MRP as these are crucial to the future of our business
“ Having a good engineering apprenticeship with digital technology training is moving us closer to our goal of being an Industry 4.0 company and will enable us to grow and tap into new market sectors .”
EDM Zone currently employs two engineering apprentices from Newcastle College .
Roger added : “ Having a local college at our doorstep is great , especially as the programmes being offered really reflect the skill sets we require for our business , now and in future .”
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