UK’s future leaders in engineering honoured
12/12/2013
The Arkwright Scholarships Trust has made its largest ever award of scholarships for aspiring leaders in engineering. A total of 371 sixth form scholarships and seven undergraduate scholarships were awarded at the 2013 awards ceremonies.
Scholars received their awards at prestigious ceremonies in London and Glasgow, supported by the Institution of Engineering and Technology and BAE Systems. This year’s 371 sixth form scholars come from across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands, and from all educational backgrounds. Among them were Oren Patel-Champion and Jamie Brown, both 16, whose scholarships are sponsored by The British Institute of NDT. Oren attends Oakham School, Rutland, while Jamie Brown is a student at Bedford Modern School.
They were selected for their potential as future leaders in engineering following a rigorous selection process comprising an assessed application form with teacher’s reference, a two-hour aptitude exam and a university-based interview.
Cameron Sinclair, CEO of BINDT, said: “Congratulations to Oren Patel-Champion and Jamie Brown on their fantastic achievements. We are delighted to help guide these promising students, who stand on the threshold of their engineering careers.
“In addition to the financial assistance already committed, we will put in place practical measures that are designed to complement and further their education. In this way, we not only hope to inform them about non-destructive testing but to inspire them to apply these principles in future years.”
The scholarships consist of an annual financial award to each scholar and to his or her school, and a range of enrichment activities, such as mentoring and industry visits, that enhance a scholar’s experience of engineering in a real-world context. Arkwright engineering scholarships are highly regarded by universities and industry and help to create a pipeline of top talent into the engineering profession.
The scholarships are supported by an expanding group of companies, universities, professional institutions, trade associations, the armed services, charitable trusts and personal donors.
Seven undergraduate scholarships were also awarded, generously supported by The Lloyd’s Register Foundation, The Reece Foundation and personal donors Mr and Mrs Chris Down. These undergraduate scholarships are valued at between £10,000 and £12,000 and are available each year exclusively to existing Arkwright sixth form scholars.
The awards were presented by Jonathan Firth, Director of Operations & Projects at Virgin Galactic (London), and Gordon Masterton OBE, Vice President of Jacobs Engineering (Glasgow). Jonathan Firth said: “It has been a fantastic experience to present these scholarships to such a dynamic group of young people. Pushing the boundaries of how current engineering impacts society, as we do at Virgin Galactic, is a constant reminder of the need to encourage the very best young people to pursue a career in the engineering profession.”
Gordon Masterton added: “Professional engineers are the backbone of our society. Crossrail, a project with which I am closely involved, is an example of where engineers are producing a solution that will benefit millions of people’s lives. It is high-potential young people such as these Arkwright scholars who will be driving forward similar projects in the decades to come. Congratulations to all the new scholars!”
Arkwright’s Chief Executive, Dr Martin Thomas, commented: “These awards ceremonies, attended by 1400 guests, represent the pinnacle of the Arkwright year. It has been fantastic to meet the new scholars and to hear of their personal achievements. It has also been incredibly rewarding to see our alumni return to the awards ceremonies to demonstrate their successful careers to the new scholars. They are the proof that Arkwright has an impact on these young people’s lives.”
www.arkwright.org.uk
