College of Engineering

Tel: +64 3 364 2608, Fax: +64 3 364 2705, Email: engpracticalwork@canterbury.ac.nz

Web: www.engf.canterbury.ac.nz

GUIDELINES FOR NON-ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS for the B.E.(Hons) Degree

The goals of practical work training are: 1. 2. 3. To familiarise you with engineering tools, equipment, machines and techniques. To help you understand the engineering terms and concepts introduced during the degree course. To provide you with actual experience of different work roles that you are likely to encounter once you are a professional engineer.

The first two goals relate directly to the Degree course but are also intended to benefit you once you graduate. The third goal is intended to benefit you once you graduate. As a student you will have a better opportunity to work with and understand trades people and semi-skilled or unskilled personnel than when you graduate. Make the most of this opportunity by observing as many different work roles as possible. All engineering students must successfully complete the following non-academic requirements: 1. 2. 3. 4. A minimum of 800 hours (100 days) of approved work in engineering industry. Two satisfactory written reports describing the work performed and the roles observed in 2 above. Present a University approved first aid certificate, to be valid during enrolment in the three Professional years. An approved course/s of Workshop Training

These requirements are entirely your responsibility. Final year students/graduands should check the deadlines (see below).

800 HOURS (100 DAYS) PRACTICAL WORK

You are to complete 800 hours (credited as 100 8-hour days) of approved practical work in engineering industry, preferably with two different employers. The work is normally completed in two periods, each period being approximately 400 hours (50 days), but can be completed in three periods (two periods of at least 40 days and one of 20 days). Periods of less than five days are not acceptable. Please note that reports must be on 40 days of work experience - refer to section on Practical Work Reports. You are encouraged to complete the practical work before you commence the Third Professional year. Each department has different requirements for the types of work that are acceptable. These are detailed in Table 1, and a brief description of each type of work follows.

Departmental Requirements for Practical Work

For all degrees at least 800 hours (100 days) of approved practical work in engineering industry are required. Normally this is completed in two or three periods. The first period should be spent in workshop, manual and/or process operation (as appropriate for the particular degree). The second period (undertaken after the second professional year) is then spent in professional practice, working on an engineering task appropriate for your degree. A period of 320 hours (40 days) of professional practice is mandatory.

1. 2.

Professional work done before entry to First Professional will not be accepted. Professional work done prior to Second Professional is strongly discouraged. It will only be accepted if there is prior written permission (preferably by email) obtained from the departmental Practical Work Supervisor. If professional work is accepted, then a practical work report may be submitted on that period of work.

3.

A maximum of 160 hours (20 days) may be credited for practical work carried out on a university campus but a written report must not be submitted for this work. This work must be professional, not workshop, and must be under the supervision of an academic member of staff. The types of work that are acceptable and the exact requirements differ for each degree, as indicated below. DEGREE Chemical and Process ACCEPTABLE WORK Mechanical Workshop Process Plant Operation Professional Practice Mechanical Workshop Manual Professional Practice Mechanical Workshop Suitable Electrical Work Professional Practice Mechanical Workshop Suitable Electrical Work Professional Practice Mechanical Workshop Manual Professional Practice Mechanical Workshop Professional Practice Mechanical Workshop Manual Electrical Work Professional Practice COMMENTS At least 320 hours (40 days) of mechanical workshop and/or process plant operation, and 320 hours (40 days) of professional. Balance (160 hours / 20 days) may be mechanical workshop, process plant operation or professional. At least 320 hours (40 days) of mechanical workshop and/or manual, and 320 hours (40 days) of professional. Balance (160 hours / 20 days) may be mechanical workshop, manual or professional. At least 320 hours (40 days) of suitable electrical work, and 320 hours (40 days) of professional practice. Balance (160 hours / 20 days) may be mechanical workshop, suitable electrical work or professional practice. At least 320 hours (40 days) of professional practice. Balance (480 hours / 60 days) may be suitable electrical work or professional practice, or a combination of both, and may include a maximum of 320 hours (40 days) of mechanical workshop. At least 320 hours (40 days) of mechanical workshop and/or manual, and 320 hours (40 days) of professional. Balance (160 hours / 20 days) may be mechanical workshop, manual or professional. At least 320 hours (40 days) of mechanical workshop and 320 hours (40 days) of professional. Balance (160 hours / 20 days) may be mechanical workshop or professional. At least 320 hours (40 days) of mechanical workshop or manual electrical work, or a combination of both, and 320 hours (40 days) of professional practice. Balance (160 hours / 20 days) may be mechanical workshop, manual electrical work or professional practice. At least 320 hours (40 days) of mechanical workshop and/or manual, and 320 hours (40 days) of professional. Balance (160 hours / 20 days) may be mechanical workshop, manual or professional.

Civil

Computer

Electrical and Electronic

Forest

Mechanical

Mechatronics

Natural Resources

Mechanical Workshop Manual Professional Practice

Examples of Suitable Practical Work

Mechanical Workshop: Familiarisation with works, stores, engineering terms, including names of tools and basic workshop equipment; the trade skills and techniques used in the fabrication and manufacture of mechanical components; working in close contact with skilled mechanical engineering trades people (eg, as a fitters mate involved in plant maintenance, or where they help machine tool operators and trades people involved in metal forming, welding or foundry processes). Generally using skills obtained in Workshop Training Course. Manual: Must be in an area related to degree studies. Civil labouring in the field on engineering construction; survey assistant; manual work in mining, farm or horticulture, forest or food industry. Lab work may qualify if it is routine testing or if it involves gathering information in the field. (In short, getting your hands dirty.) Ensure work is relevant to degree as not all manual work is acceptable (eg farm work is acceptable for Natural Resources but not Civil). If in doubt please check with College of Engineering Office or Departmental Practical Work Supervisor. Suitable Electrical Work: (Elec. & Comp. students only). Any work involving an electrical, electronic, computer or mechanical product or service; or any form of maintenance work or any form of design or system planning, management, Information Technology work or service; does not include retail sales but may include servicing of retail equipment. Work must be performed with a bona fide company, with adequate records of work hours kept. Only in exceptional circumstances will self-employment be acceptable. Manual Electrical Work: (Mechatronics students only): Any work involving fabrication, wiring, testing, assembly, maintenance or design for electrical, electronic, computer or electromechanical products, service or systems. Relevant Information Technology work or service (excluding retail sales of products) may be considered, but must be vetted by the Director of Mechatronics Engineering first. Process Plant Operation: (CAPE students only). May be as a plant operator or assistant to a plant operator in a process industry where the student may observe the influence of design, construction and operating procedures on the steady state and dynamic behaviour of the plant and on the quality of the product. Lab work may qualify if it is routine process testing or involves gathering information in the field. Professional Practice: Students work under the direction of a professional engineer on engineering tasks appropriate to their degree course. Involves methods of working from drawings and the organisation and procedures appropriate to an engineering workplace. This provides an opportunity for students to apply their academic training in a practical situation, and cannot normally be undertaken before completing the second professional year. Some examples of suitable types of work are: Engineering drawing and design of management/control/distribution systems Engineering research Production planning and control Investigation, feasibility studies or design Site investigations Surveying (using instruments) Troubleshooting Testing and repair of materials/components Calibration of instruments Engineering projects involving research & development Contract documentation Resource consent application Database creation or consolidation Laboratory work (other than routine testing) Draughting Works management System planning and/or reporting Economic study or audit

The College of Engineering Office may help you find employment. The Office holds lists of employers who have previously provided practical work - you may borrow these for photocopying. Helpful information on writing CVs and letters to employers, interviews, useful Internet links, etc, is available on the UC Careers & Employment website: http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/careers/for/students.shtml

Getting Practical Work Credited

All practical work MUST be registered by logging onto UCStudent Web and submitting a New Notification of Practical Work form. This links directly with your practical work record. If you cannot log onto UCStudent Web you should download the form off the College website and submit it to the College of Engineering Office. This form should be submitted before or within 2 weeks of starting employment and only if an employer has confirmed your employment. In exceptional circumstances the form may be submitted after completion of the period of work, but under NO circumstances can it be submitted more than 12 months after commencing the work. Failure to submit the New Notification of Practical Work form will result in the work not being credited for the degree. All employers complete a report form for each student and each period of work. These reports detail the dates of employment, the hours worked, the type of work performed, and comments on student behaviour, attendance and performance. Work will not be credited until a satisfactory report is received from the employer. Unsatisfactory reports are discussed with the employer and the student, and may result in the work not being credited for the degree. PRACTICAL WORK REPORTS Students must submit two satisfactory reports covering two different types of practical work, each of at least 320 hours (40 days). It is preferable the reports also relate to two different employers. If both periods of work are with the same employer, the reports must be substantially different, ie on two different departments or types of work experience (as above). Both reports must then be submitted so they can be compared to ensure they are different. Students are not permitted to submit a single report to be credited as two reports. Two written reports must be submitted. All reports must be submitted to the College of Engineering Office by the first Monday in April following the long vacation in which the work was completed. Graduating students must submit reports earlier than this date (see below for deadlines). Late reports will only be accepted under exceptional circumstances. If you wish to apply for permission to submit a late report you must write to your departmental practical work supervisor (preferably by email) explaining the reason for the late submission and obtain their permission; evidence of this approval should then be attached to your report before submission. These reports are confidential between the student and the College of Engineering and must not be disclosed to any other party. Instructions on writing reports are available from the College Office or on the web address mentioned above. EXEMPTION FROM NON-ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS Students may be given partial or total exemption from practical work training if they have completed an appropriate indentured apprenticeship or appropriate work for a NZ Certificate of Engineering. Applications for exemption must be made in writing to the College of Engineering Practical Work Co-ordinator before the end of the Second Professional Year. Copies of supporting information (e.g. certificates awarded and workbooks or other evidence of work performed) should be submitted with the application. Applications for exemption from the Workshop Training Course must be submitted to the department, not the College of Engineering Office. FIRST AID COURSE You must complete a University approved first aid course (covering Unit Standards 6400, 6401 and 6402). Certificates are only valid for two years, but they must be valid at some stage during your enrolment in the three professional years of the BE(Hons) degree. It is recommended this is completed before commencing employment. You must present your Certificate at the College of Engineering Office to show that you have met the first aid requirements for the Degree (original must be sighted or a copy provided which has been certified by a Justice of the Peace). You can present your Certificate any time during the degree course, BUT graduating students must submit this by specific deadlines (see below for details). During the year you will be informed of appropriate first aid courses held on campus. These courses are normally held over two days (16 hours) and it is your responsibility to enrol and attend the full course.
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Examples of suitable courses are: "Workplace First Aid" from either The Order of St John or TriEx Health, Safety & Wellness, or "Comprehensive First Aid" from Red Cross. As the University does not approve all first aid courses, please check with the College of Engineering Office before attending a course not organised by the College. WORKSHOP TRAINING COURSE In addition to the 800 hours (100 days) of approved practical work in industry, students must also successfully complete an approved Workshop Training Course in their First Professional Year. Contact your Department for information on these courses. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS Some international students experience difficulties at the end of their degree when they find they have not completed their practical work requirements and need to apply for a Visa. Please consider the following suggestions:

1. If you need to submit a report, then you should ensure before you commence work that your employer 2. Make sure all practical work is done BEFORE your student visa expires. The Visa Officer is not going
to give you an Open Visa until all academic and non-academic (practical work) requirements of the degree have been completed. 3. Talking to Immigration Officers about visa problems is ALWAYS better than talking with your friends. FINAL YEAR STUDENTS / GRADUANDS April Graduation: If you wish to have your Degree conferred personally at the April Graduation Ceremony all non-academic requirements must be met by the first Monday in March in the year of graduation. This is to allow time to process the reports in time to add your name to the printing of the graduation handbook. December Graduation: If you wish to attend the December Graduation Ceremony all non-academic requirements must be met no later than the first Monday in November in the year of graduation. However, if the work was completed over the previous summer then you will have the same deadline as a non-graduating student so your report must be submitted by the first Monday in April. If your work was carried out after the April deadline, then your report must be submitted by the November deadline. Graduating In Absentia: Students who do not wish to attend one of the above ceremonies may graduate in absentia throughout the year after their non-academic requirements have been completed. Final Reports: It is recommended that final reports be submitted well before the due date to allow time for resubmission if necessary. Under no circumstances will reports be accepted after the due date. If your final practical work report receives a failing grade your graduation will be delayed until you achieve a passing grade for the report. Applying to Graduate: All students wishing to attend a graduation ceremony and/or have their degree conferred must make formal application. Please refer to the Student Services website: http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/graduation/ . All these requirements are entirely your responsibility. If you do not meet the above deadlines you will not be eligible to graduate at a ceremony but may apply to graduate in absentia when all requirements have been met. ENROLLING IN POSTGRADUATE STUDIES: Students who have not completed all non-academic requirements will NOT be permitted to enrol in postgraduate studies. will be able to offer you at least 320 hours (40 days) of suitable employment.

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