The Arkwright Scholarships Trust has awarded 397 prestigious Sixth Form Scholarships to future leaders of the engineering profession during ceremonies in London and Glasgow.
The new Arkwright Engineering Scholars received their awards at Ceremonies thanks to the support of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and the Rail Industry – spearheaded by Network Rail, Carillion and Colas Rail.
This year’s Scholars come from all educational backgrounds across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands.
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A reassuring record figure also showed that 29% of the new Scholars were female.
Three undergraduate Scholarships, each of £12,000 in value, were also awarded at the Ceremonies, funded by The Reece Foundation and The Eranda Foundation.
The Scholarships were awarded to each new Scholar by IET President, Naomi Climer in London, and Hugh Gill, CTO of Touch Bionics in Glasgow.
Chief executive of the Arkwright Scholarships Trust, Dr Martin Thomas CEng FIET commented: “I have been hugely impressed by the creativity, technical skills and leadership prowess of the young men and women receiving their Scholarships this year.
“It is well-documented that the country needs 100,000s of new engineers to take the economy and society forward. But some of these newly-trained people need to also act as outstanding leadership beacons within industry and academia. The Arkwright Engineering Scholarships are the first step on that road to achieving such a vital position within UK engineering. Congratulations to our 397 new Scholars!”
Scholars are selected for their potential as future engineering leaders by assessing their academic, practical and leadership skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM).
These are subjected to a rigorous selection process comprising: an assessed application form including a teacher’s reference; a two-hour aptitude exam; and a university-based interview.
The Scholarships consist of an annual financial award to each Scholar and to his/her school, and enrichment activities such as mentoring and industry visits to expand the Scholar’s perception of engineering in a real-world context.
