Used to getting their hands dirty, West Nottinghamshire College’s automotive engineering students experienced alternative practical learning, following a visit from the leading provider of automotive e-learning solutions.
Electude, which is a global provider of comprehensive e-learning solutions for the automotive industry, visited the automotive workshop at the college’s Engineering Innovation Centre to give students hands-on experience of their vehicle simulator.
Designed to develop and hone automotive skills including troubleshooting and diagnostics, the eight-person simulator offers a unique e-learning experience to help students to build their confidence and practical engineering abilities.
The visit took place as part of Electude’s tour of UK colleges and training providers, showcasing the e-learning solutions that are used by thousands of automotive organisations over 50 countries.
Students had the opportunity to take part in practical modules including engine diagnostics and vehicle lighting problem solving.
Daniel Perry, Electude’s customer success manager and product specialist, said: “Inside the vehicle there’s a lighting circuit with test points, including front lights, rear lights, indicator and stoplights. We can insert faults on it so that students can do various testing without causing any damage.
“Students have mocked up wiring a daytime running light circuit, and you could never do that on an actual vehicle. For the students to physically wire that up from scratch isn’t feasible without some kind of rig. By working in this way, they’re able to understand what makes a circuit work.”
Beginners Diploma in Automotive Maintenance student Jack Tuckwood, 16, said: “In motor vehicle engineering you need to know all about the right connections, how everything works, so if anything is faulty you can fix it.
“Working in the Electude vehicle means that we can get a really good interaction with the wiring and parts and fault-finding is done in a clear and clean way, ready for us to implement onto real vehicles.”
