Abstract
The authors describe their approach to the training of potential professional engineers in an engineering firm of medium size manufacturing power plant, gearing, and hydraulic machinery. Facilities of design, manufacturing, research, installation and service, and marketing and selling departments are available. The training is controlled by a full-time Training Supervisor who is a professional engineer and a member of the company's training staff.
After briefly referring to the recruiting and selection activities, the different training paths are described, which include two-year graduate courses and ‘thick’ and ‘thin’ sandwich courses. The training programme has three phases. The first covers basic workshop and manufacturing technology, the second covers general mechanical and organization training; and the third caters for specialist departments or directed objective training. Training Department activities, together with projects, industrial log books, and departmental reports, are described and discussed. Ideas about examination of industrial training and relationships with college or university tutors are constructively criticized.
The need for adequate supervision, assistance of professional engineers, flexibility of approach, and a desire to try experiments are emphasized.
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