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Engineering for Non-Engineers Training Course

Gives non-technical staff a clear grasp of engineering disciplines, equipment, processes and terminology so they work better with engineers and decide well.

ENG · Engineering ManagementAll Levels#2376ClassroomEnglish , Arabic
Duration
5 Days
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Free substitution at any time · 30+ days' notice: full refund minus 10%. Cancellation policy

Course Overview

The Engineering for Non-Engineers Training Course equips professionals without an engineering background with a clear, practical understanding of engineering concepts, equipment, processes, and terminology so that they can work more effectively with engineers and make better-informed decisions in technical organizations. In energy, oil and gas, utilities, water, construction, manufacturing, transport, and government entities, many professionals in finance, procurement, contracts, legal, human resources, communications, administration, and general management deal daily with engineering projects, equipment purchases, maintenance budgets, safety issues, and technical reports. Without a basic understanding of engineering, they may struggle to ask the right questions, evaluate proposals, challenge assumptions, or communicate confidently with technical teams. The course demystifies engineering in plain language. Participants learn the main engineering disciplines and how engineers think and solve problems, essential engineering quantities and units such as force, pressure, energy, power, heat, and flow, and how to read engineering drawings at a practical level. The program then introduces common plant equipment, including pumps, compressors, valves, piping, tanks, heat exchangers, boilers, turbines, generators, motors, and transformers, and explains typical processes in oil and gas, power, and water facilities. Participants also learn the engineering project life cycle and deliverables, the role of codes and standards, technical specifications and bid evaluation, maintenance, reliability, and asset management, safety and risk management, quality assurance and control, engineering economics including capital and operating costs and life cycle costing, digital engineering technologies, sustainability, and how to communicate effectively with engineers and interpret technical reports. The course is delivered through plain-language explanations, visual demonstrations, videos, simple calculations, virtual site walkthroughs, and case studies, with no mathematics beyond basic arithmetic required. Participants leave with an engineering terminology glossary, an equipment and process quick reference guide, a guide to reading engineering drawings, a checklist for reviewing technical proposals and reports, and a set of key questions to ask engineers.

Learning Objectives

  • Analyze the role of engineering in organizations and the value of engineering literacy for non-engineers on Day 1.
  • Describe the main engineering disciplines, including civil and structural, mechanical, electrical, chemical and process, instrumentation and control, and industrial engineering.
  • Explain how engineers approach problem solving, design, trade-offs, and decision making.
  • Interpret essential engineering quantities and units, including force, pressure, energy, power, heat, and flow.
  • Read engineering drawings at a practical level, including layouts, process and instrumentation diagrams, and single line diagrams.
  • Explain the function of common plant equipment, including pumps, compressors, valves, piping, tanks, heat exchangers, boilers, turbines, generators, motors, and transformers.
  • Describe typical processes in oil and gas, power, and water facilities.
  • Explain the engineering project life cycle, key engineering deliverables, and the role of codes and standards.
  • Review technical specifications and support the technical evaluation of bids and proposals.
  • Explain maintenance, reliability, asset management, safety and risk management, and quality assurance and control concepts.
  • Apply engineering economics concepts, including capital and operating costs, life cycle costing, and simple investment evaluation.
  • Communicate effectively with engineers, interpret technical reports, and understand the impact of digital engineering and sustainability by the end of Day 5.

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for non-technical professionals working in or with engineering organizations, including finance and accounting, procurement and contracts, legal, human resources, communications, administration, and business support professionals. It is also relevant for general managers, project coordinators, planners, auditors, investors, and new staff who need a working knowledge of engineering to perform their roles effectively. It is particularly valuable for professionals in energy, oil and gas, petrochemical, power, water, and utility organizations; in construction, infrastructure, and engineering companies; in manufacturing and industrial facilities; in ministries, government entities, and regulators overseeing technical sectors; and in banks, insurers, and consultancies that finance, insure, or advise on engineering assets and projects.

Learning Outcomes

  • By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
  • Explain what engineers do and why engineering literacy matters in their role.
  • Distinguish between the main engineering disciplines.
  • Understand how engineers think, design, and make decisions.
  • Understand common engineering units and quantities.
  • Read and interpret basic engineering drawings.
  • Explain how key plant equipment works and what it is used for.
  • Describe how typical industrial processes operate.
  • Follow an engineering project from concept to operation.
  • Contribute effectively to technical bid evaluations.
  • Understand maintenance, reliability, safety, and quality concepts.
  • Evaluate engineering costs and simple investment decisions.
  • Ask the right questions and communicate confidently with engineers.

Course Outline

Course Outline:

Day 1

Engineering Fundamentals and Engineering Thinking

  • The role of engineering in organizations
  • Engineering disciplines and what each one does
  • How engineers solve problems, make trade-offs, and design
  • Essential engineering quantities and units: force, pressure, energy, power, heat, and flow
  • Practical application: participants work through simple engineering examples and identify which disciplines are involved in a typical project
Day 2

Drawings, Equipment, and Processes

  • Reading engineering drawings: layouts, process and instrumentation diagrams, and single line diagrams
  • Rotating equipment: pumps, compressors, turbines, and motors
  • Static equipment: valves, piping, tanks, heat exchangers, and boilers
  • Electrical equipment: generators, transformers, and switchgear
  • Practical application: participants interpret simple drawings and identify equipment in a virtual plant walkthrough
Day 3

Industrial Processes and Engineering Projects

  • Typical processes in oil and gas, power, and water facilities
  • The engineering project life cycle and key deliverables
  • Codes, standards, and why they matter
  • Technical specifications and technical bid evaluation
  • Practical application: participants follow a case study project from concept to commissioning and review a technical specification
Day 4

Maintenance, Reliability, Safety, and Quality

  • Maintenance strategies, reliability, and asset management
  • Safety and risk management, including process safety and permits to work
  • Quality assurance, quality control, inspection, and testing
  • Engineering failures and lessons learned
  • Practical application: participants analyze an engineering incident case study and identify technical and management lessons
Day 5

Engineering Economics, Digital Engineering, and Communication

  • Capital and operating costs, life cycle costing, and simple investment evaluation
  • Digital engineering, automation, and data in engineering decisions
  • Sustainability and energy efficiency
  • Communicating with engineers and interpreting technical reports
  • Final workshop: participants review a technical proposal, identify key questions for the engineering team, and present their conclusions

Upcoming Dates

Selected date

Jeddah · 7 – 11 Mar 2027 · Classroom

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CityDatesPrice per ParticipantEarly Bird
BarcelonaScheduled
2 – 6 Nov 2026€6,000—
GenevaScheduled
2 – 6 Nov 2026€7,300—
IstanbulScheduled
9 – 13 Nov 2026€5,300—
Kuala LumpurScheduled
16 – 20 Nov 2026€4,700—
BeirutScheduled
22 – 26 Nov 2026€4,500€4,050until 2 Nov
LisbonScheduled
23 – 27 Nov 2026€6,000€5,400until 2 Nov
LondonScheduled
23 – 27 Nov 2026€5,800€5,220until 2 Nov
MadinahScheduled
30 Nov – 4 Dec 2026€4,800€4,320until 9 Nov
CairoScheduled
6 – 10 Dec 2026€3,800€3,420until 16 Nov
MadridScheduled
7 – 11 Dec 2026€6,000€5,400until 16 Nov
MakkahScheduled
14 – 18 Dec 2026€4,800€4,320until 23 Nov
ManamaScheduled
21 – 25 Dec 2026€5,300€4,770until 30 Nov
Cape TownScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€7,700€6,930until 7 Dec
MarrakeshScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€4,700€4,230until 7 Dec
MilanScheduled
4 – 8 Jan 2027€7,000€6,300until 14 Dec
MunichScheduled
4 – 8 Jan 2027€6,000€5,400until 14 Dec
DammamScheduled
10 – 14 Jan 2027€4,800€4,320until 21 Dec
MuscatScheduled
11 – 15 Jan 2027€6,300€5,670until 21 Dec
OnlineScheduled
17 – 21 Jan 2027€2,700€2,430until 28 Dec
ParisScheduled
25 – 29 Jan 2027€6,700€6,030until 4 Jan
DohaScheduled
31 Jan – 4 Feb 2027€4,700€4,230until 11 Jan
RiyadhScheduled
1 – 5 Feb 2027€4,800€4,320until 11 Jan
RomeScheduled
8 – 12 Feb 2027€7,000€6,300until 18 Jan
TunisiaScheduled
15 – 19 Feb 2027€4,300€3,870until 25 Jan
DubaiScheduled
21 – 25 Feb 2027€4,700€4,230until 1 Feb
ViennaScheduled
22 – 26 Feb 2027€6,400€5,760until 1 Feb
AmmanScheduled
28 Feb – 4 Mar 2027€4,000€3,600until 8 Feb
AmsterdamScheduled
1 – 5 Mar 2027€6,000€5,400until 8 Feb
JeddahScheduled
7 – 11 Mar 2027€4,800€4,320until 15 Feb
BakuScheduled
8 – 12 Mar 2027€5,300€4,770until 15 Feb

Available in: Istanbul · Dubai · London · Riyadh · Doha · Amsterdam

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