Those honoured were handpicked from 1,600 hopefuls who applied for the scholarship in 2018, following a rigorous selection process that assesses academic, practical and leadership skills in engineering disciplines. The awards were presented by RAF group captain Tony Keeling, air marshal Julian Young and air vice marshal Ross Paterson.
Dr Kevin Stenson, chief executive of the Smallpeice Trust, a national STEM education charity that runs the scholarships programme, says: “This year has seen an incredibly talented group of young people become scholars. We hope that this is the first step towards a successful and rewarding career in engineering. We are also immensely proud to see a large number of girls taking part in the programme. It is vital to the future of the UK engineering industry that we nurture these talented individuals to fulfil their potential as future leaders.”
Former scholar and STEM ambassador Khadijah Ismail, who gave presentations at the ceremonies, adds: “Congratulations to all of the scholars who made it this far. It’s a wonderful achievement and thoroughly deserved. I loved every minute of my scholarship. It opened a world of opportunities and possibilities to me. I now have a job as a degree apprentice aerospace engineer with BAE Systems, and there is no doubt these young scholars also have a very bright future ahead of them.”
Founded in 1991, the Arkwright Engineering Scholarships programme aims to identify, inspire and nurture future leaders in engineering. More than 150 organisations, such as professional institutions, trade associations and schools, support the programme. Only the highest performing students from all educational backgrounds are selected following assessments that include a two-hour aptitude exam and a university-based interview. Those who succeed receive academic and financial support during their studies. As part of the scholarship, students gain access to a range of enrichment experiences, such as conferences, mentoring, residential courses and university VIP days.
Since its inception, almost 5,400 young people have passed through the scholarship programme, including award-winning BBC presenter Steph McGovern, who forged a career at Black & Decker before moving into business journalism.
