Planning ahead with new centres

The automotive and aerospace industries in the UK have received a boost with Universities and Science Minister David Willetts announcing five new centres to train engineers of the future.

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is co-funding five new Industrial Doctorate Centres covering key areas of advanced manufacturing vital to growth in two of the UK's biggest industrial sectors. The centres will help students taking an engineering doctorate to understand the needs of business, as well as training them in innovative future technologies in advanced manufacturing.

Based in university departments with a strong track record of working with industry, each centre will support up to 100 doctorate students over four years. Over 50% of the funding for each centre will come from industrial partners with EPSRC providing £1.25m per centre.

Companies involved include JLR, Rolls-Royce, Tata Steel, Timet, Airbus, BAE Systems, and Boeing.

David Willetts says: These new centres will generate a new wave of engineers with the knowledge and skills needed to become future business leaders and create new innovation and economic growth for the UK."