Level 1/2 Vocational Award in Engineering
Responsibility: Wigan and Leigh College
Engineering is a driving force in the UK’s economy, accounting for 21.4% (£1.2 trillion) of the UK’s £5.7 trillion turnover in 2018. However, there is a considerable shortage of appropriately skilled workers in the engineering sector. One of the reasons for this is due to lack of awareness among young people of the educational routes into engineering occupations, despite the fact that pursuing STEM subjects remains a priority for many young people, and, according to Engineering UK, the proportion of young people ages 11 to 14 who said they would consider a career in engineering was 54.7% in 2019.
The Vocational Award in Engineering has been designed to support learners in schools and colleges who want to learn about this vocational sector and the potential it can offer them for their careers or further study. It is most suitable as a foundation for further study. This further study would provide learners with the opportunity to develop a range of specialist and general skills that would support their progression to employment.
EXAMINATIONS
Exam Board – WJEC
Unit 1 – Manufacturing Engineering Products
Controlled Assessment - 40%
Unit 2 – Designing Engineering Products
Controlled Assessment - 20%
Unit 3 – Solving Engineering Problems
Written Exam - 40%
SPECIFICATION
Unit 1 provides learners with the opportunity to interpret different types of engineering information in order to plan how to produce engineering products. Learners will develop knowledge, understanding and skills in using a range of engineering tools and equipment in order to produce and test an end product.
Unit 2 allows learners to explore how an engineered product is adapted and improved over time, and it offers learners the opportunity to apply their knowledge and understanding to adapt an existing component, element or part of the engineering outcome that they produced for Unit 1.
Unit 3 introduces learners to a range of considerations that impact on engineering design and how modern engineering has had an impact on modern day life at home, work and in society in general.
