Skip to main content
This course is now open

Click Start by the University of Leeds - Fundamental Skills in Engineering Design

Discover the essential skills that will help you succeed as a developer with this interactive online software development course. This free course is open to all ages!

You can start this free course at any time!
course-wave course-wave course-wave

This course is brought to you by:

Future Learn logo
Free
Short Course
Provider:
University of Leeds
Course length:
6-8 hours per course
Delivery method:
Online
Price:
Free
Subjects: Data Engineering, Digital Skills, Engineering
Age range: Open to all ages

Master the Engineering Design Process

This flexible and free two-week course introduces key engineering design principles, from requirement gathering to problem-solving and project management.

Understand the Product Life Cycle
Learn how different engineering design types align with a product’s life cycle to make informed design decisions.

Develop Practical Design Skills
Engage in real-world scenarios, including a solar tracker case study, to enhance conceptual design and problem-solving abilities.

Learn from Industry Experts
Guided by the University of Leeds, gain a strong foundation in engineering design for further learning and career growth.

This free course is part of Click Start, a nationwide training programme developed by the Institute of Coding (IoC), a national collaboration of universities, employers and charities and funded by Nominet – the public benefit company and guardians of the .UK namespace.

The programme, which launched in 2023, helps to tackle the UK’s digital skills gap by offering skills and training to more than 26,500 learners across the country who may not have previously had opportunities.

If you sign up to a Click Start programme, you’ll also get access to GetMyFirstDigitalJob, an online platform designed to help you find and land a digital job. It’s your new hub for jobs, support, and guidance for your digital career.

You’ll get access to job opportunities from employers looking for fresh talent, and a dedicated careers coach who’ll give you one-on-one support to guide you through your job search journey. There’s also learning modules to boost your employability skills in the areas you need them most, and exclusive live events where you can get your questions answered by experts from across the digital industry.

There’s never been a better reason to join a Click Start programme!

GetMyFirstDigitalJob was built by BCS and The Talent People to support the Click Start programme.

The Click Start by University of Leeds programme covers digital skills, as well as personal and professional development, designed to help you apply for a new job or access new opportunities with better pay.

This course takes 6-8 hours to complete, and you can learn at your own pace, on your own schedule, from the comfort of your home. All learning is self-guided, so you might do the course in less time!

wave

What will I learn?

Welcome to Fundamental Skills in Engineering Design

Gain a basic understanding of ‘engineering design’ and explore the product life cycle. Learn about the engineering design process, including the five types of engineering design and the five product life cycle phases.

Introduction to engineering design

Understand ‘engineering design’ and explore fields like mechanical engineering. Learn how designers create outputs such as technical drawings and classify design activities based on product novelty.

Designing for the product life cycle

Explore the five stages: design, manufacture, marketing, usage, and disposal. Focus on understanding factors affecting manufacturability, marketability, and disposal.

Focusing on the design phase

Explore the five stages: design, manufacture, marketing, usage, and disposal. Focus on understanding factors affecting manufacturability, marketability, and disposal.

Soft skills for engineering design

Explore essential soft skills for engineering design and practice abstraction. Engage in conceptual design activities through a case study.

The solar tracker design problem

Apply conceptual design skills to design a solar tracking apparatus. Study the design brief, analyse requirements, and develop a function structure. Discuss the next steps for creating the solar tracker with peers.

University of Leeds are offering everyone who joins this course a free digital upgrade, so that you can experience the full benefits of studying online for free. This means that you get:

  • Unlimited access to this course
  • Includes any articles, videos, peer reviews and quizzes
  • Tests to validate your learning
  • A PDF Certificate of Achievement to prove your success when you’re eligible
Visit this course

FAQS

Anyone can do this programme. However, Click Start is designed to support under-represented groups. The aim is to give you the digital skills you need to find new opportunities. Or get better pay. Or simply do what you want to do in life.

To start this free course now simply click here to join

All you need is an open mind. You don’t need experience. You don’t need to have been to university. All you need is curiosity and be ready to learn new things. Maybe you want a new direction? Maybe you want to upskill? Maybe you want a raise or promotion in your current role? Click Start gives you the head start you need.

It’s completely free. And no, there’s no catch. This programme has been developed in partnership with the Institute of Coding (IoC) and has been funded by Nominet to help reduce the UK’s digital skills gap.

This course is run by the University of Leeds, and the courses are hosted on the Future Learn platform. The Click Start programme was developed by the Institute of Coding and is funded by Nominet.

Free
Short Course
Provider:
University of Leeds
Course length:
6-8 hours per course
Delivery method:
Online
Price:
Free
Subjects: Data Engineering, Digital Skills, Engineering
Age range: Open to all ages