Stepping Into Management Within Engineering

Rationale

This pathway equips students with the skills to lead innovation within engineering environments. Understanding the organisational environment is crucial for engineers to effectively navigate and influence their workplaces. These units will help students develop strategic leadership skills and a deep understanding of managing and fostering innovation.

U504 Leading Innovation and Change

New ideas and innovations have always been important drivers for organisational growth. In an increasingly fast-paced global economy, an organisation’s ability to innovate for competitive advantage can mean the difference between survival and extinction. Interestingly, breakthrough innovations are more likely to occur when market conditions are tough, and resources are limited. Change is often necessary and important so that a company remains relevant and continues to deliver viable solutions to a growing customer base. But, while a company and its executives may recognize the need for change management, employees may be resistant since change can be hard and uncomfortable.

Successfully leading and managing change is not one single skill; it is a range of skills – all of which can be learned. Understanding the business environment, how change will impact all aspects of it, and what will be required to reach the new state is one side. Understanding people, how they react to change, and how to coach them successfully through the transition process is the other. It is in applying this mix of skills that leaders bring about lasting, transformational change.

U507 Understanding the Organisational Environment

This unit breaks down strategic processes and allows you to identify external factors within the environment that could have an impact on your organisation.

Many of these will be things the organisation has no control over, but the implications of which need to be understood. A popular tool for identifying these factors is the PESTLE Analysis, which can be used to help you consider Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental issues. Organisations today find themselves operating in an environment that is quick changing. The process of analysing the implications of these changes and modifying the way that the organisation reacts to them is known as business strategy. While your role as a manager is unlikely to require you to make decisions at the strategic level, you may be asked to contribute to meetings where strategic concerns are being discussed. You may be asked to comment on pilot schemes, presentations, reports, or statistics that will affect strategy.

Rationale

This pathway is tailored for students aiming to excel in project management within engineering contexts. Managing projects and resources efficiently is a critical skill for engineers, ensuring they can handle complex projects and allocate resources effectively. These units provide a solid foundation in project management principles and resource optimisation, both of which are essential for successful engineering management.

U511 Managing Projects in the Organisation

This unit enables you to understand that Project management is the practice of initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and closing the work of a team to achieve specific goals and meet specific success criteria at the specified time. The primary challenge of project management is to achieve all of the project goals within the given constraints.

Project management is the process of planning, budgeting, co-ordinating, and monitoring a series of pre-determined steps that need to be taken in order to achieve a particular goal or objective within an agreed timescale.

Project management is a multi-faceted approach, which incorporates aspects of planning, decision-making, change management, communication, and human resource management.

A successful project depends on a strong project manager who can deliver the desired objectives within an agreed timescale and budget. There are numerous approaches available and an increasing array of technological tools and techniques to assist. Using these to continually monitor progress and adapt plans as the project progresses will improve the chances of success. It is now expected that most middle managers will possess sound project management skills.

U512 Managing Resources

This unit aims to develop an understanding and ability to manage physical resources in own area of operation, as required by a practising or potential middle manager.

Practical, economical, and efficient use of resources is one of the most significant factors in maximising business profitability and success in organisations.

For efficient resource management, people must be held accountable for the organisation, maintenance, and safe use of physical resources according to organisational policies and procedures. Often, systems will need to be updated and new plans implemented to ensure the effective use and maintenance of the resources.

Rationale

This pathway is designed for students who want to strengthen their analytical and decision-making skills. Critical thinking and the ability to analyse and interpret statistical data are vital for making informed decisions in engineering management. These units will enhance students' ability to think critically, analyse complex data, and apply these skills to real-world engineering problems.

U503 Developing Critical Thinking

This unit aims to develop the ability to think and reflect critically as required by a potential or practising middle manager.

The management team and the leaders employed within an organisation are pivotal to the success of the organisation. Specifically, the critical thinking that goes into strategic and operational decision-making will play a significant part in defining the level of success or otherwise of the organisation.

Critical thinking is that mode of thinking — about any subject, content, or problem — in which the thinker improves the quality of their thinking by skilfully analysing, assessing, and reconstructing it. Critical thinking is self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking. It presupposes assent to rigorous standards of excellence and mindful command of their use. It entails effective communication, problem-solving abilities, and a commitment to overcome our native egocentrism and sociocentrism.

This unit aims to guide you through the central tenets of critical thinking and will invite you to apply critical thinking against fundamental management theories - a process that will enable you to challenge your existing approach to leadership and management and refine and improve your leadership and management accordingly.

U516 Analysing and Interpreting Statistics to Inform Management Decisions

This unit aims to provide you with the information to develop the ability to carry out and use statistical analysis to inform a management decision, as required by a practising or potential middle manager.

As a first-line manager, you will be actively involved in making decisions and solving problems. Indeed, becoming adept in the techniques is a sure way to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of both yourself and your organisation. In organisations, people who solve problems and consistently make good decisions do well! Much of your success in solving problems and making decisions is about the proper application of
tools and techniques.

Today, more organisations use data to transform how problems are viewed and solved. By embracing the capabilities of statistical analytical tools to find patterns and trends, organisations can forecast and predict human interactions and behaviours. Data analysis can play a big part in resolving problems based on facts instead of intuition or past events. This data-driven, evidence-based information can be our insight into target audiences, automate processes and improve overall performance.

Organisations that create a data-driven culture can adapt to sudden market changes, become more competitive, deliver high quality, and make reality-based decisions to solve problems.