ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION – TRAINING INTERVIEW
rAovbooid-finlogp The Make UK Technology Hub houses
Make UK launched a course last year to retrain and up-skill employees,
covering the knowledge and practical skills involved with robotic and
automation engineering. Commercial manager Mark Farrant (above inset), and
commercial maintenance tutor Gordon Thompson (below inset), explain more
QWhy was this course launched and
AThe why is it needed? course was launched based
on the in-house expertise and
development in this area, on the back of
developing and delivering key elements
for the European-funded Skillman project
in 2017. There is an increasing demand
for multi-skilled maintenance engineers
in industry and, with the increasing
automation and robotics footprint in a
lot of production centres, it is becoming
apparent that maintainers must develop
the skills necessary to provide e ective
support for their respective employers.
The EAL Level 3 Automation and
Robotics course will help to ll the
current skills gap by giving delegates a
much better, broader understanding of
a wide range of robotic and automationrelated
subject areas (see box for module
details). Though this course will deliver a
comprehensive skillset and knowledge
based on principles, not product, it should
produce a well-rounded and competent
maintenance engineer. There is no doubt
that robotics and automation will require
a di erent skillset, but that should not be
too di cult for those with aspirations to
become a maintainer in this eld.
Q Who is the course
aimed at? AThe course is aimed at technicians
and engineers who wish to enhance
their skills, those who wish to learn about
robotics and automation engineering,
as well as employees with existing
knowledge in manufacturing. The reason
this course is aimed at these three
groups in particular is that these areas
are where the development of key skills
and expertise would potentially have
the greatest bene t to managers and
employers.
Remember, this course covers the
principles, not speci c products, which
means that any attendees should be able
to e ectively apply their new knowledge
and skills back into their own workplace
and in any future employment.
Delegates on the EAL Level 3 Robotics
and Automation course will need to have
had some limited exposure to robots and
automated systems to bene t fully from
the course content and delivery, and then
be able to apply the diverse skillsets and
knowledge e ectively and e ciently in
the workplace. We are also developing
some generic courses to accommodate
those with less experience, so they can
a robotics and automation cell that
incorporates a variety of robots and
control systems
better understand the basic operations,
simple maintenance and low-level fault
nding to suit their levels of responsibility
and authority.
QWhat facilities does your site o er
to delegates? AHere at the Technology Hub, we
not only have the state-of-the-art
robotics and automation cell and separate
robot room, we also have rst-class
training rooms and equipment, such as
dedicated PLC programming, fault nding
and diagnostics workshops, mechanical
and uid power training rigs, and electrical
workshops.
Make UK’s aim is to support
manufacturing industry and be at the
cutting edge of training support and
development. This particular training and
quali cation o ering gives organisations
the best opportunity to have trained,
skilled and competent maintenance sta ,
who can best support their current and
future robotics and automation needs to
keep pace with ongoing development,
technology and the marketplace.
QHow has course take up been since
launching in September? ASadly, there has not been the
expected take up for the course, partly
due to the prevailing political and nancial
climate, but we are running one group
on the full quali cation programme who
are impressed with the course content,
delivery methods, and equipment, and are
leaving some good and valuable feedback.
By Adam O ord
12 www.operationsengineer.org.uk June 2019
/www.operationsengineer.org.uk