A new course for aspiring school leavers, starting this September, has been launched by Rex Witts, Head of Engineering and Construction at Weymouth College, along with his excellent teaching team.
Working with Westfield Cars, Weymouth College will build two complete Westfield Car kits. Each car will be entered into a series of ‘auto test’ events around Dorset, with all maintenance and crew work carried out by the students. The group will be split into two teams with each team having a Team manager, Marketing Manager and Competition Secretary. The teams will all be required to join the local car club and will also be required to join the WSCC Dorset branch. Each team will also undertake an extensive build diary that will be hosted on the College website.
The aim of the course is to allow potential engineering/motor vehicle students an alternative avenue of study that could lead to employment within motorsport industry whilst maintaining the option of progression within traditional style engineering or motor vehicle qualifications. The course will be made up of distinct group of 14 students with an expected age range between 16 & 18 years old and will be built around the construction of two Westfield Sports cars.
The course will be the nationally recognised Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Performing Engineering Operations but it has also had some additional smaller qualifications ‘bolted’ to it, that will allow students to enhance their skills including welding (MIG, TIG and Arc) and Computer Aided Design skills.
The course content is as follows:
Unit 001 Working safely in an engineering environment
Unit 002 Carrying out engineering activities efficiently and effectively
Unit 003 Using and communicating technical information
Unit 056 Stripping and rebuilding motorsport vehicles (pre-competition)
Unit 057 Inspecting a motorsport vehicle during a competition
Unit 060 Stripping and rebuilding motorsport engines (pre-competition)
City & Guilds Level 1 Award in Introductory Manual Metal Arc (MMA) Welding
City & Guilds Level 1 Award in Introductory Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) Welding
City & Guilds Level 1 Award in Introductory Metal Inert Gas (MIG) Welding
CAD – City & Guilds Level 2 Certificate in Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing (2D)
Head of Engineering and Construction at Weymouth College, Rex said: “This is a highly desired opportunity for students to build and complete a Westfield whilst learning valuable engineering and organisational skills. It also gives students the potential to be involved with the Westfield community and progress into either motorsport or engineering as a career.”
Build a Westfield in the evening
A second course will also be available for all those budding builders who don’t have the space or spare cash to build their own Westfield. Working at evenings and the occasional Saturday, adults will be able to join a leisure type class to build a third car. The cost per person, (max 8) will buy 6 Saturdays and 26 Tuesday evenings with all tools and equipment supplied. This evening course has not been advertised yet; but will be on a strict first come first served basis.
For more information or an informal friendly chat about any of the above details, please drop Rex an email on [email protected]. For details about Weymouth College and information on other courses in Automotive Studies; please visit www.weymouth.ac.uk or call the College reception on 01305 761100.
