Industry boost for engineering education

A new collaboration between Solent University and Fortis IBA is providing Mechanical Engineering students with valuable opportunities to gain hands‑on industry experience and tackle real engineering challenges as part of their degree.

Students on the University’s Continuous Improvement Module will work directly with Fortis IBA over a four‑month period on a live project designed to mirror real‑world professional environments. The partnership includes site visits to the A303 IBA Recycling Facility, where students are briefed on a genuine operational challenge before analysing it and presenting their recommendations to the company.

With both organisations keen to strengthen ties between education and industry, this collaboration builds on an already strong relationship between Solent and Fortis. Over the years, the company has supported the University through prize sponsorship, guest lectures, and mock interview sessions.

Mark Oliver, Fortis IBA Chairman says: “Our partnership with Southampton Solent University reflects our strong commitment to inspire and develop the future generation. We are delighted to be working together to provide students with meaningful access to industry experience and business challenges. We look forward to reviewing the feedback, findings, and solutions for our A303 IBA Processing Facility which may also be applied to our other Fortis sites.”

This new initiative forms part of Solent’s wider commitment to practice-led learning. Through real-world case studies and live briefs, students are able to apply the skills and knowledge they acquire in the classroom to current industry issues.

Engineering Lecturer, Abdulla Tahhan, says: “Industry collaboration is essential in preparing students for professional practice. Working with Fortis allows students to engage with real challenges, apply their learning in an authentic context, and understand industry expectations first-hand. These experiences build confidence, encourage ownership of learning, and significantly enhance students’ readiness for employment.

Third-year student Diana Babii, who hopes to pursue a master’s degree in aerospace engineering, says: “Our visits to Fortis give us a real perspective on what our future careers may involve. Being exposed to live briefs and interacting with industry professionals prepares us for the workplace.”

Final-year student Ethan Drew, who also plans to continue his education through post graduate study adds: “It’s refreshing to see where engineering actually happens after so much theory-based learning. Seeing tools like Lean Six Sigma Continuous Improvement used on site bridges the gap between classroom and industry. This experience also helps us build networks and gain a foothold in the professional world.”

This collaboration reinforces Solent University’s mission to empower students with the practical experience, confidence and industry insight needed to thrive in their future careers.

Find out more about Solent’s mechanical engineering course here.