The Practical Shift: Why Engineering Education Needs to Change?
How to teach engineering students effectively is a critical question today as many young people keen to pursue engineering tend to follow the traditional route of attending university to earn a degree.
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Despite the many benefits of a degree, employers have become increasingly dissatisfied over recent decades with the skill levels young graduates bring to the workplace.
- Statistics from the IET in 2021 found that new engineering recruits lacked adequate technical and soft skills, with 71% citing gaps rooted in engineering and technical know-how.
- YouGov also revealed that 59% of employers and 79% of academics agree there is a STEM skills gap.
This disconnect between education and the engineering workplace is causing the industry to fall behind in productivity, talent, and efficiency.
To tackle this crisis, industry experts began exploring how to ensure graduates are equipped not only with strong theoretical knowledge but also the practical skills needed to express their talent in the workplace. The idea that emerged was NMITE — the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering.
Inside NMITE: A New Model for Modern Engineering Education
NMITE is a higher education provider based in Hereford, England, that challenges the traditional university model while maintaining high academic quality. It offers students a university education that helps them understand engineering principles alongside technical learning and work experience to grasp how the industry actually works. This gives students the practical skills the industry currently lacks.
James Newby, President and CEO of NMITE, says the institution started from humble beginnings.
“We are the first brand-new university built entirely from scratch in the UK in the last 40 years,” he says.
NMITE officially opened in 2021 with just 27 students but now enrols hundreds across the country.
What Makes NMITE Different from Traditional Universities?
NMITE’s approach to higher education strongly differs from traditional university institutions, says Newby.
“We’re quite small, and that’s a key part of our model. By combining academic rigor with hands-on workplace challenges, we help students practice engineering in both theory and application,” he says.
“Our buildings support our vision—they are simple, straightforward, and utilitarian. We don’t spend large sums on flashy structures like many universities,” he adds.
Newby also points out that NMITE’s learning structure is vastly different from other universities.
“Our courses take less than a year to complete because we teach students nine-to-five, Monday through Friday,” he says.
This intensive learning model benefits students and the government alike.
“By concentrating engagement in a shorter time, students reduce tuition fees and living costs, resulting in much less debt,” he explains.
“Finishing faster means they enter the workforce sooner, earning money ahead of peers. Employers also benefit from faster recruitment, which lowers costs for taxpayers too.”
Newby says the government has shown growing interest because NMITE produces well-prepared engineers at a much lower cost than traditional universities.
The institution recently celebrated its first graduation ceremony at Hereford Cathedral.
“Our graduation was a huge milestone. We proved that our graduates are securing professional engineering roles. Instead of sending them off with just good wishes, we thanked them for taking time off work to attend,” he says.
NMITE graduates have found roles at companies like Mondelez, Balfour Beatty, and BAE.
The Dual Mission: National Talent and Local Impact in Engineering
Newby says NMITE was founded with two clear missions: to solve the national shortage of engineers by combining academic knowledge with vocational skills, and to boost employment and education in the Hereford region.
“Our job is to create engineers employers actually want,” he says.
“Employers have been telling education providers for years that graduates have academic understanding but struggle to apply it in real-world situations.”
“We want graduates who can seamlessly transition into work and immediately add value to employers,” he adds.
Newby also stresses the importance of NMITE’s local mission to help economically regenerate a historically neglected region.
“Herefordshire had no higher education tradition and no university of its own before NMITE.
Young people born and bred here are far less likely to attend university compared to peers elsewhere,” he says.
“Few local students were eager to go to university, so we brought the university to them. Half of our students now come from the local area.”
He believes NMITE is positively impacting the region’s skills shortage.
“We provide local people with qualifications and skills combined.”
“It’s no coincidence that areas with fewer higher education opportunities also have lower rates of high-value jobs and household incomes. There’s a clear link between the presence of universities, graduates, and regional economic growth.”
Newby predicts that establishing small, effective higher education institutions in overlooked regions will help reverse brain drain and foster economic regeneration.
“Talented people will stay, more talent will grow, and you create a virtuous, self-sustaining cycle,” he says.
Bridging Theory and Practice Through a Hands-On Approach in Engineering
Newby stresses the importance of a hands-on approach to training engineers.
“Engineering is not just theoretical. Good engineers are problem solvers, creative, and team players,” he says.
“Engineering challenges are rarely confined to a single discipline—they are multi-disciplinary and require both theory and practice.”
He gives the example of building a bridge. Engineers must consider safety and long-term maintenance, not just the materials and structural calculations.
“At NMITE, students train in this multi-disciplinary, practical way that prepares them for real work environments,” he explains.
“Our students work with people across sectors and employers of all sizes—from SMEs to major companies like BAE and BP.”
How to Teach Engineering Students Effectively: Government Support Helps NMITE Push Boundaries
Government support and funding have been key to NMITE’s success.
“We hold a knowledge base designation from Innovate UK, enabling us to work with industry on cutting-edge projects and develop new knowledge and practices,” says Newby.
NMITE participates in the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), a UK government-funded programme run by Innovate UK that helps businesses improve competitiveness and productivity by accessing expertise from universities.
“This allows businesses to partner directly with us, gaining academic support and helping our graduates find work opportunities,” he explains.
“Notably, we are the first institution in the country to secure this knowledge base status without having a traditional research mission.”
Newby adds: “Our senior students work at a complex level and undertake projects pushing the boundaries of knowledge and practice, making them suitable knowledge partners under KTP.”
NMITE has also received backing from The Stronger Towns Programme and The Shared Prosperity Fund.
Competing Globally with Industry-Ready Graduates in Engineering
Newby emphasises the need for the UK to compete internationally by producing highly skilled graduates.
“International markets are more competitive. The UK lags behind other countries in producing work-ready, highly skilled graduates,” he says.
"Countries that succeed globally have education systems that closely link education and work, producing graduates ready to contribute earlier in their careers.”
“So, it’s vital the UK provides graduates who can quickly make an impact in their fields.”
Newby concludes with advice for 16- to 18-year-olds considering their futures.
“If university doesn’t feel like the right fit, and apprenticeships aren’t for you either, NMITE offers a great alternative. We provide the best of both worlds with a certain, positive engineering career as soon as you graduate,” he says.
