Engineering at work
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Engineers develop practical and professional skills at work in ways that aren’t always formally recognised. If you’re currently in engineering-related employment, this module allows you to gain academic credit for learning at work by completing work-based activities designed to help improve your work performance and plan your professional development. You’ll need someone in your workplace, typically your line manager, to authenticate, though not assess, some of your coursework.
What you will study
This module gives you the opportunity to integrate learning experiences from your engineering workplace into a university module. It forms an essential part of your engineering foundation degree studies, which must include accredited learning at work.
Studying this module will enable you to:
- develop your ability to learn from your work
- apply your understanding and knowledge of engineering theory and practice within your workplace
- develop your skills in understanding how your organisation functions
- evaluate and develop your personal and professional skills
- develop your personal and career development plans
- enhance your employability.
Over the duration of the module you will become a reflective practitioner, allowing you to deepen your understanding of your engineering workplace practice. You’ll learn how to evaluate your own work and prepare and present evidence of your professional competence.
You will achieve this by working through a series of activities and assignments with support from your module tutor and work colleagues. Guidance comes from module books and worksheets, which we will send you along with other study materials. Additional support is provided by a website and online forums.
Entry requirements
You are responsible for obtaining permission to use your workplace as a basis for your studies prior to registering for this module.
To successfully complete this module you must:
- be in an engineering-related occupation1
- have permission to carry out work-based learning tasks in your workplace
- have a suitable person within your workplace who will confirm that the coursework you submit is based on your practice within that workplace.
We will send you further detailed information when you have registered.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an .
1Volunteering in an engineering-related role may be acceptable – contact us to discuss suitability before registering.
What's included
You’ll have access to a module website, which includes:
- a week-by-week study planner
- module-specific online materials
- assignment details and submission section
- online tutorial access
- online forums.
You’ll also be provided with four printed module books. Electronic versions of the study materials are available.
Computing requirements
You’ll need broadband internet access and a desktop or laptop computer with an up-to-date version of Windows (10 or 11) or macOS Ventura or higher.
Any additional software will be provided or is generally freely available.
To join in spoken conversations in tutorials, we recommend a wired headset (headphones/earphones with a built-in microphone).
Our module websites comply with web standards, and any modern browser is suitable for most activities.
Our OU Study mobile app will operate on all current, supported versions of Android and iOS. It’s not available on Kindle.
It’s also possible to access some module materials on a mobile phone, tablet device or Chromebook. However, as you may be asked to install additional software or use certain applications, you’ll also require a desktop or laptop, as described above.