Two QE Sixth-Formers have been awarded prestigious engineering scholarships. Alex Norcliffe and Daniil Slavin, who are in Year 12, won their sought-after Arkwright Engineering Scholarships after completing a rigorous selection process.
“Part of the aim of the scheme is to identify the country’s future leaders in engineering and technical design,” said Dr Martin Thomas, Chief Executive of the Arkwright Scholarships Trust. “The scholarships are respected both by leading universities and companies including organisations such as Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems, Balfour Beatty and Microsoft Research.”
The scheme runs annually, attracting more than 1,200 entries for just 300 places. The scholarships include a £600 financial award to each student to enhance his A-level studies, as well as a range of activities to develop students’ understanding and experience of engineering.
To secure their scholarships, Alex and Daniil had to complete a detailed application form, a two-hour aptitude examination and an interview hosted by a top engineering university – in Alex’s case at Imperial College, London, and Brunel University, London, in Daniil’s.
The aptitude examination tested the boys’ flair and originality in solving engineering design problems. At the in-depth interview, they were asked about their career aspirations and had to discuss an engineering project they had conducted. During the interview day they took part in a team exercise to solve a hands-on engineering problem, working with students they had never met before.
The boys and their parents also had the opportunity to tour the engineering facilities at the host university and explore the diversity of engineering and related design careers and their importance to the UK economy.
The scholarships are funded by charitable donors including: The Reece Foundation (principal donors), The Lloyd’s Register Foundation, the Gannochy Trust, the Dulverton Trust, the Emmott Foundation and SFIA Educational Trust.
They were formally presented at a ceremony in Blackfriars, London, supported by The Institution of Engineering and Technology in October.