Water technology provider Xylem has launched a new website for its Engineering Insight Award Scheme.

The Engineering Insight initiative was set up by Xylem to promote closer links between industry and mechanical engineering students at leading universities and iMechE accredited institutions.

It is part of Xylem’s programme to engage with young people following engineering degree courses and to help address the current shortfall between the number of engineering graduates the UK is producing, versus UK industry’s future requirements. Roughly speaking, on present numbers, the UK is producing only half the number of suitably qualified engineers it will need.

Engineering Insight’s new website, www.engineeringinsight.co.uk, aims to help support engineering undergraduates. The programme, which has already run successfully at Aston and Brunel universities over the past two years, provides final year students with a real life design challenge to work on as part of their degree course.

Challenges are set and adjudicated by Xylem’s top team of engineers working in areas such as the oil and gas industry, the water industry and food and beverage processing. Winning student teams receive prizes such as tablet computers and e-readers, plus the kudos of being able to cite their success on a CV.

This year’s group winners will receive Microsoft Surface Tablets. Every student who participates in the scheme is rewarded and receives an engineering textbook provided by one of the scheme’s partners, McGraw Hill Publishing, as well as being able to demonstrate active engagement with a real life project to discuss with potential employers when job hunting. The new website for Engineering Insight explains the details of this exciting scheme, and includes the design briefs provided to Aston University and Brunel University for download.