The first cohort of students have graduated from the Enterprising Engineers programme, after completing an intensive, twelve-session course designed to help develop entrepreneurial skills and real-world business acumen within todays’ young engineers.

The pilot programme, designed and delivered by tech start-up Iungo Solutions included twelve enterprising skills workshops: learning about design theories, product development, marketing and strategy, legal and finance, and human capital management; and was delivered through a collaboration with the University of Wales Trinity St David (UWTSD) and the Royal Academy of Engineering, with a cohort of 20 students.

The Digital Manufacturing Innovation Hub Wales (DMIW), Robotics integration company Reeco, inclusive playground manufacturer G L Jones were amongst the companies that set the student project briefs, curated with the help of UWTSD’s MADE facility.

Rachel Davies, Director of DMIW said: “The Enterprising Engineers programme offers a uniquely challenging and beneficial experience to both students in industry, as well as organisations such as the Digital Manufacturing Innovation Hub, by providing a mechanism to interact with future engineers and address common business problems in a real-world environment."

"I was impressed by the attitude and professionalism of the students towards the projects and impressed with the final presentations, especially the wider considerations made surrounding the markets and business opportunities.”

Guest speakers including Alistair Baillie, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer from high growth start-up Ship Shape supported the delivery of the programme.
The programme finale took place on the 23rd June with student pitches in front of a judging panel of industry professionals. The event was supported by Barclays Eagle Labs Cardiff, Ship Shape, and the Digital Manufacturing Innovation Hub for Wales (DMIW).

Jessica Leigh Jones MBE, Chief Executive at Iungo Solutions and Visiting Professor at UWTSD said: “It has been rewarding to watch the students grow and develop over the course of their journey with Enterprising Engineers. This is a unique programme that has not only yielded positive outcomes for students, but also strengthened relationships between the university and local industry.”

Iungo has plans to roll out the Enterprising Engineers programme as a summer camp this year for college students whose learning experience may have been interrupted by covid-19. For more information, visit https://iungo.solutions/enterprising-engineers/.