Design and Technology (Product Design)

Course summary

Product Design focuses on consumer products and applications and their analysis concerning: • Materials, components, process, and their selection and uses in products and/or systems. • The selection and use of the above in industrial commercially viable products and practices. Students learn how to undertake the iterative design process used by professional designers, making models/working prototypes, developing 3D CAD assemblies, and communicating creatively as they start to think like designers themselves. Researching, analyzing, dismantling/disassembling, and developing products helps students to think independently and creatively when problem-solving. Product Design adds technical skill to Art/Graphics and applies knowledge and understanding gained from studying Science and Maths in an enjoyable, rewarding, and practical way. 3D Printing as well as hand skills for model making/prototyping and accurate surface finishing are key in the product development skill set. (If you have the opportunity I would recommend speaking to current and past A-Level students to share their experiences). Those gaining an A-Level in Product Design often study related subjects at university or use it, along with their other qualifications, to access an apprenticeship. Some of our students have secured employment with high-profile companies that include Jaguar Land Rover, JCB, and British Aerospace. This course is particularly relevant to those wishing to pursue a career in: Architecture, Mechanical/Civil/ Aeronautical Engineering, 3D Design, Product Design, Industrial Design, Design Engineering, and Agricultural Engineering.