Young entrepreneur launches Engineering Academy to give businesses and individuals vital problem-solving skills

7th September 2022

A YOUNG entrepreneur is launching an Engineering Academy next month to help businesses and individuals develop their skills by solving real-life industry challenges.

Clyne Albertelli, 25, set up his own start-up Co-Lab Engineering in the summer and is now launching an Engineering Academy, bringing together large industry organisations, Challenge Owners, Academia and SMEs to deliver rapid solutions to industry problems.

Clyne said: “The Engineering Academy is designed to rapidly solve engineering challenges, develop participants professionally and allow SMEs to grow their offering by solving a live industry challenge in just six weeks.”

The Academy starts on October 3 and places are available to book now.

The Engineering Academy is open to large organisations who service multiple sectors, including Oil & Gas, Nuclear, Chemical, Manufacturing, Renewables and other regulated industries; SMEs with technical backgrounds including design, manufacturing, certification, testing, problem solving and project management experience; and for individuals from industry, academia, apprenticeships or T-Levels from a STEM, project, or technical profession.

Clyne is collaborating with a range of experts to deliver the programme including the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), University of Cumbria, Centre for Leadership Performance, and TEDx speaker Jo Corbishley.

He said: “There are two objectives of the Academy for the team and the individuals. Firstly, develop technical problem-solving skills by employing project management, creative thinking, rapid prototyping and iterative design skills.

“Secondly, cultivating the soft skills required to become well-rounded, including leadership, collaboration and entrepreneurialism.

“In my experience of delivering solutions within the highly-regulated nuclear industry, bringing people together to collaborate and encouraging diversity of thinking is the most effective way of generating ideas and providing solutions.

“By solving problems in this way, you achieve the best value for the challenge owner, the best opportunity for SMEs to achieve growth through collaboration, and the best outcome for the individual who is developing their skills.”

As well as achieving the solution, the programme is designed to develop:

• technical skills required to approach challenges in a structured but rapid, ‘sprint’ style approach.

• innovative ideas to challenges which have the potential to stimulate growth, new businesses and entrepreneurialism.

• soft skills of the individuals to create innovative, well- rounded leaders and collaborators.

Clyne, who lives in Lowca, Cumbria, started his career as an electrical and instrumentation apprentice for Babcock, moved to Cavendish Nuclear as an instrument mechanic, and joined Sellafield Ltd as a System Engineer. He then joined the Engineering portfolio management team and more recently worked as Solutions manager before setting up Co-Lab Engineering in June 2022.

John Maddison, Managing Director of iSH, said: “Championing innovation and collaboration, enhancing capability and creating employment and training opportunities are at the heart of what iSH is all about.

“We are therefore delighted to see a start-up business like Co-Lab Engineering launching an Engineering Academy and involving SMEs, industry, and delivery partners.

“We would encourage industry and businesses to consider how their own organisations and their teams can benefit from getting involved with the Engineering Academy.

“We also look forward to more start-ups setting up in West Cumbria as part of the diverse business eco-system which will help deliver economic and social resilience, environmental improvements and sustainable community regeneration to transform people’s lives for the better across the region.”

Positions are available to book now for the Engineering Academy’s first six-week sprint project due to start on October 3. To find out how to sign up to the Engineering Academy, contact clyne@co-lab.engineering or visit www.co-lab.engineering