Effective Communication for Engineers

In-company

Overview

This interactive course provides communication skills training tailored for the engineering workplace. It reviews the fundamental principles behind effective communication of all types, providing guidance on communication and presentation strategies.

Technical competence is at the core of your success in engineering but it is crucial to also consider your ability to communicate your concepts and plans to others effectively. The Engineering Council recognises this by including effective communication and presentation skills as core competency standards in its UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC), the document that lays out what is expected of chartered engineers.

This course gives practical advice on the different modes of communication, including formal writing, email, telephone and face-to-face interactions, and examines how to design and deliver an effective presentation. A large part of the course is devoted to developing assertiveness and confidence, and overcoming presentation nerves.

The course is delivered by Dr Jamie Cleaver, a Chartered Engineer whose unique background allows him to relate this training specifically to the process industries. The course delivery involves a series of short sessions of input followed by activities to help develop skills and understanding.  

Learning outcomes

The course will help you to:

• understand the different ways in which we communicate
• understand the importance of building rapport
• select the most effective mode of communication for a given situation
• listen effectively
• understand the huge impact of body language in communication
• develop effective communication strategies
• communicate with increased assertiveness
• structure a presentation effectively for a given time and given audience
• use techniques to enhance your physical presence
• improve the control of your nerves
• use your voice effectively to enhance the presentation
• deal with questions more effectively
• use visual aids such as PowerPoint more effectively.

Who will benefit

• Engineers of all levels who want to improve their communication skills.

Course outline

• Fundamentals of communication
• Modes of communication - which one to use?
• Formal writing
• Email
• Telephone
• Face-to-face interactions
• Assertiveness and conflict resolution
• The purpose of a presentation
• Effective presentation structure
• Effective physical presence
• Effective use of voice
• Effective use of visual aids
• Dealing effectively with questions

Previous delegates said

"The course doesn't just cover A–Z steps on how to improve but also lets us deal with the 'why we struggle to improve' and how to overcome that."
Johnson Matthey

"It encouraged me that I realised it's not a natural process that we can automatically communicate effectively."
Johnson Matthey

"The course equipped me with many tools to tackle difficult situations." 
Murco Petroleum.

"The course improved my self-confidence in presenting." 
BIS Industrial Services.

In-company delivery

This course is available for in-company delivery, either on-site or online. Content can be tailored to your specific requirements. Request a quotation.