Scheme for 500 funded MSc degrees in aerospace engineering

The Royal Aeronautical Society has teamed up with government and industry to run a competition to fund 500 Masters Degrees in Aerospace Engineering.

The competition, which opens today, is being run in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Engineering to help the sector develop the high-level skills it needs to compete globally.

As part of the Aerospace Growth Partnership, the UK aerospace industry and Government have committed £3 million each over three years to help recruit talented people who want to build careers in aerospace, but need financial backing to study at Masters level. A bursary will be available for students to cover the cost of tuition fees up to a maximum of £9,500.

The scheme will support the up-skilling of current aerospace employees already qualified to graduate level, and BSc students currently studying at university. Those students will be encouraged to make direct links with aerospace businesses to undertake projects to address the challenges faced by industry, and secure opportunities for work experience and future employment.

UK companies sponsoring the scheme include some of the Society’s Corporate Partners: BAE Systems, Bombardier Aerospace Belfast, EADS/Airbus, Finmeccanica, GKN, MBDA Missile Systems, Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, Rolls-Royce and Spirit AeroSystems.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said:

“There is a serious shortage of engineers in the UK. Our aerospace industry is a world-leader, but unless we create a new generation of engineers we’ll struggle to keep ahead of the competition.

“Today’s announcement will help us meet this demand. The funding will further train quality engineering graduates, widening access to the industry to talented people from all backgrounds.”

The Royal Aeronautical Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering will run the competition process, which will test the need for the award and the commitment to work in the aerospace sector through the application and interview process. The process will seek to enable a more diverse range of people to reach Chartered Engineer status and to work in the aerospace sector.

Deputy Chief Executive of the Society, Paul Bailey MRAeS, said:

“Working in aerospace has always been an aspirational and rewarding career, and we expect the Aerospace MSc Bursary Scheme to offer a way into this exciting sector for those talented science & engineering graduates who might not have considered it before.  With the UK being home to Europe’s largest aerospace industry – and the second largest, after the USA, in the world – this scheme will help ensure the UK maintains that strong position by providing a route for motivated graduates to join the sector.”

This Aerospace MSc Bursary Scheme will complement the Society’s existing Centennial Scholarships, which were set up in 2003 to provide financial support to both teams and individuals of any nationality undertaking activities that will benefit and encourage careers or research in the field of aeronautics, aerospace and aviation management.

Extra support will be available for small and medium sizes enterprises – their employees will be eligible for a 75% subsidy towards fees.

For more information or to apply for MSc funding, visit www.raeng.org.uk/aeromsc