As IHEEM often points out through articles in this Journal, and as the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE) puts it in the latest issue of the Engineering Council’s ‘Register News’ newsletter (May 2013; www.tinyurl.com/lvshjgs).
‘The most important resource that any innovative and growing enterprise has is the knowledge and skills possessed by its employees’. In accord with this belief, the Institute’s Membership and Registration Committee is keen to draw HEJ readers’ attention to the help available for training from the RAE, which supports the training and development of engineers in UK industry through an annual scheme which makes company awards of up to £10,000 each. An RAE news story in the Engineering Council newsletter elaborates: “The scheme assists enterprises by awarding funds to support training programmes which focus on the development of their engineering staff.” The RAE goes on to explain that all UK enterprises operating in the engineering, manufacturing, ICT, or construction and building services sectors, are eligible to apply. Any size of enterprise is able to participate, and applications from SMEs, small business units of large companies, and new business start-ups, are ‘particularly encouraged’. “There are two tiers of award: £10,000 and £5,000, and prospective applicants should indicate for which level of award they are applying,” the RAE adds. “The award is not intended to be a reimbursement of the total training costs, as the Academy is keen to see these awards stimulating an investment in training from the respective enterprises.” Over the past 10 years, over 1,200 companies spread across the UK have received RAE funding for training programmes involving some 20,000 engineers. This year the Academy will be awarding up to £300,000 through the scheme. The deadline for applications is 24 October, 2013, and applicants will be notified as to the outcome in January 2014. Further details can be found at: www.tinyurl.com/l5w4bqt
