The purpose of this two-year course is to develop students as professional, self-reflecting individuals able to meet the demands of employers in the engineering sector and to adapt to a constantly changing world. This qualification aims to widen access to higher education and enhance the career prospects of those who undertake them. The objectives of this qualification are to:

● equip students with the skills, knowledge and understanding they need to achieve high performance in the engineering and manufacturing environment
● develop students with enquiring minds, who have the abilities and confidence to work across different engineering functions and to lead, manage, respond to change and tackle a range of complex engineering situations
● provide the core skills required for a range of careers in engineering, specifically those related to electrical and electronic engineering
● offer a balance between employability skills and the knowledge essential for students with entrepreneurial, employment or academic ambitions
● develop students’ understanding of the major impact that new digital and software technologies have on the engineering environment
● provide insight to electrical and electronic engineering and the opportunities and challenges presented by a global marketplace
● equip students with knowledge and understanding of culturally diverse organisations, cross-cultural issues, diversity and values
● to allow flexible study to meet local and specialist needs.

BTEC Higher Nationals in Electrical and Electronic Engineering for England provide a vocational context in which students can develop the knowledge and academic study skills they need to progress to university degree courses. These academic study skills include:
● active research
● effective writing
● analytical skills
● critical thinking
● creative problem solving
● decision making
● preparing for exams, and
● using digital technology

The Level 4 units lay the foundation of learning by providing a broad introduction to the engineering sector as well as a focused introduction to electrical and electronic engineering. This develops and strengthens core skills while preparing students for more specialist subjects at Level 5 or to enter employment with the qualities necessary for job roles that require some personal responsibility. Students will gain a wide range of scientific and engineering knowledge linked to practical skills obtained through research, independent study, directed study and workplace scenarios. Students are involved in vocational activities that help them to develop behaviours (the attitudes and approaches required for a competence) and transferable skills. Transferable skills are those such as communication, teamwork, research and analysis, which are highly valued in higher education and in the workplace. By the end of Level 4 study, students will have sound knowledge of the basic concepts of electrical and electronic engineering. They will be competent in a range of subject-specific skills as well as in general skills and qualities relevant to these key areas of engineering.

The Level 4 Higher National Certificate provides a solid grounding on which students can build should they decide to continue their studies beyond the Certificate stage. On successful completion of the Level 4 Higher National Certificate, students can develop their careers in the sector through:

• Progression to Year 2 of the Foundation Degree in Manufacturing Engineering at New College Swindon in Partnership with Oxford Brookes University
• entering employment
• continuing existing employment
• linking with the appropriate professional body
• committing to Continuing Professional Development (CPD)