Budding fighter jet technician flies the flag for female engineers 

A Birmingham student whose goal is to become an air technician with the Royal Navy flew the flag for female engineers at the official opening of University College Birmingham’s new engineering and digital training facilities.

Precious Gagu Mowo, whose great-grandparents were both in the British Army, was charged with demonstrating hi-tech robotics in the labs to show employers and key stakeholders the future of engineering to aid regional manufacturing growth.

The 18-year-old has just started her Level 3 Engineering college course at Camden House, with new facilities where students can learn everything from advanced robotics for hi-tech components for manufacturing to cyber security.

“For a long while, I’ve wanted to be an air technician in the Navy, working on fighter jets, helicopters and air carriers,” said Precious, who attended John Wall Catholic School in Handsworth and whose family are originally from Zimbabwe.  

“I studied engineering at school and public services at college, but then decided to go for it and do a course which will provide a route to my dream career. The facilities here are great and I am getting to work on pneumatics and air compressors that are similar to what I will be working on in my job.”

The new multi-million pound facilities at the refurbished Camden House campus building in Birmingham city centre were unveiled at a launch event this month.

Around 300 students have already been welcomed onto the new engineering and digital courses at University College Birmingham, developing skills that will help close the region’s skills gap and meet the levelling-up agenda.

Michael Coleman, project lead for developing the facilities, said the robotics labs were designed to mimic a real factory production line – from start to finish. 

“Students learn how to precisely code hydraulics and pneumatics across the robotics labs, effectively getting them to talk to each other to create components for everything from mobile phones to electric cars for the future,” he said.

“Our courses are designed with employers and in such a way that our students can go straight into a career as a production engineer with the likes of BMW or Siemens when they finish. Or, uniquely, they can go from a Level 3 to higher education with us, regardless of background, and on to top jobs in the field.”

Allan Cook CBE DSc, chair of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult – which works with industry, academia and government to help businesses of all sizes improve their competitiveness through innovation – attended the event.

He said: "I was very impressed by the new facilities and the breadth of the technologies covered. A lack of access to talent and future skills is a concern for all in the manufacturing industry, and I congratulate University College Birmingham for helping to address that.

“Opportunities to connect tomorrow’s workforce with emerging technologies is vital for the UK to become an industrial superpower. To have the new training ground on the doorstep of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult’s headquarters is particularly welcome. Skills is an area of focus for us and seeing growth in prospects at a local level is great for the region.”