Victoria’s first Degree Apprenticeship in Mechanical Engineering, developed with the support of the Ai Group Centre for Education and Training (Ai Group CET), was launched in Melbourne this week.
RMIT University welcomed its first intake to the ‘earn and learn’ program, which will enable participants to complete an accredited Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering while employed as an apprentice with participating companies.
Graduates will gain the same qualification as if they had enrolled at university as part-time students, but they also gain years of valuable work experience while undertaking the program.
Ai Group CET’s Peter Canavan, who attended the launch, praised RMIT and industry partner BAE Systems Australia for making the program a reality.
“The genesis for this initiative goes back to conversations between Ai Group CET and BAE Systems Australia four years ago,” Mr Canavan said.
“Back then, we were able to pull together a wide range of companies to collaboratively design a program that would meet employers’ requirements and create fantastic career opportunities for the apprentices who sign on.
“By combining academic study with paid employment and on-the-job training, participants graduate with industry experience, giving then an unrivalled competitive advantage.”
During the course of the five-year qualification, apprentices are employed on a full-time basis to attend university and work on related tasks. Some of the formal study will be undertaken in the workplace.
Apprentices are paid while undertaking the program and the cost of attending university is supported by their employer.
“There is a national shortage of mechanical engineers, and this shortage is expected to grow as the country continues to develop its defence-related manufacturing,” Mr Canavan said.
“Some of the participating companies, such as BAE Systems Australia, operate in the defence sector.”
Find out more about the Victorian Mechanical Engineering Apprenticeship here.
Wendy Larter is Communications Manager at the Australian Industry Group. She has more than 20 years’ experience as a reporter, features writer, contributor and sub-editor for newspapers and magazines including The Courier-Mail in Brisbane and Metro, the News of the World, The Times and Elle in the UK.
