A UTC Oxfordshire student, Sam Hartley, has been awarded a sought-after Arkwright Engineering scholarship
Year 12 Sam went up against thousands of students to be in with a chance of winning the scholarship in a rigorous selection process which involved a technical exam and an interview.
Arkwright Scholarships are awarded to high-calibre students aiming to be future leaders of the engineering profession. There are two levels of the scholarship – funded and part funded – Sam will have to wait until mid-September to find out which level he has been awarded.
The scholarship provides funding to support the purchase of materials for school or personal projects, as well as pairing pupils with a mentor. Pupils are also given the opportunity to attend exclusive events offering an insight into different sectors of industry and academia.
Every scholarship is company sponsored, meaning that support is offered in ways such as work experience, support for a curriculum project and a personal mentor.
Sam, who is looking forward to starting a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Engineering (equivalent to three A Levels), and A Levels in Maths and Further Maths, hopes to pursue a career in engineering – either mechanical or robotic. He said: “I am proud of winning the scholarship and think all the things I did at UTC did help me get it.
“At the interview they asked about a project I’d done and the challenges I’d faced. I talked about the remote project, where we designed a TV remote control in engineering. I talked about what I did, what I liked about it, what I would change, what I would do if I put it into full scale production. Then they tested my wider knowledge about engineering – they’re looking to see if you have in-depth knowledge of one area, and also a wider knowledge of engineering. They also wanted to know about extra curricular activities (Sam is a musician) and any transferrable skills, which we work on a lot at school.”
“I could also draw on the work experience I’ve had through UTC. I’ve been lucky to do two engineering related experiences – one at LTI Metal Tech working on MRI scanners and also the Central Lazer Facility (STFC). I might not have found these companies if I wasn’t at UTC.”
Well done to Sam, we look forward to seeing where you go next!