(London, Ontario) Fanshawe College and The University of Western Ontario are pleased to announce the creation of a new program intended to complement the theoretical learning of engineering students at Western.Practical Elements in Mechanical Engineering (PEME), an intensive eight-month diploma program at Fanshawe College offers Western students the option of studying the essential practical skills used in their profession.
Students can enroll at Fanshawe following their second or third year at Western to study machining, welding, metrology/ Statistical Process Control (SPC) and other hands-on skills associated with mechanical engineering. Upon completion of the program, they return to Western to complete their engineering degree.
“In general, students are no longer coming to university with hands-on practical skills. This makes it more difficult for students to appreciate certain aspects of design,” explains Anthony Straatman, mechanical engineering professor at Western.“At Western, we want to offer our undergraduate engineering students the opportunity to enrich and complement their engineering education with skills from the practical side of their profession before entering the workplace.”
“This program is all about making a stronger connection between theory and practice,” says John Makaran, Chair of Applied Science and Technology at Fanshawe College.“Although this is not a compulsory program, it will put students at an advantage and their employers in a more competitive position.”
Upon graduation, students will have a Bachelor of Engineering Science degree from Western and a Practical Elements in Mechanical Engineering diploma from Fanshawe College.
For further information or to set up interviews, please contact:
Dr. John Makaran
Chair, Applied Science and Technology
Fanshawe College
Tel: 519.452.4430 ext. 4590
Email: jmakaran@fanshawec.ca
Marcia Steyaert
Acting Director, Media & Community Relations
The University of Western Ontario
Tel: 519-661-2111 ext. 85468
Email: steyaert@uwo.ca
