Arkwright Engineering Scholarships are aimed at inspiring and nurturing high-potential young people aged 16-18 as they prepare to leave school and progress into higher education, or careers within engineering, computing or technical design.
At Highgate School, pupils are encouraged to apply for the award which offers mentoring, funding and real-world experience during the two-year programme. We spoke to this year’s successful Year 12 Sixth Form scholars about how they’ve found the experience so far, and Ms Taylor, Highgate’s Director of Design Technology and Engineering, explains how the scholarship supports young people to achieve their life goals.
Congratulations on your scholarship – can you explain the application process?
Sofia: All of the Year 11 DTE pupils were told about the scholarships and anyone who was interested could apply. The first step was to fill out an application form with lots of questions. It was my first real experience of a formal interview which was nerve wracking but good practice for the future.
Yugvir: They also asked for examples of your engineering experience and any past achievements. That was the first stage before taking an exam in Maths skills and an aptitude test. And then the final stage was an interview with an Arkwright mentor where you had to talk about a project and how you carried it out.
Chris: You go through the process at the start of Year 11 and then you find out if you’ve been successful at the end of the school year. The scholarships began when we started in Year 12 of Highgate Sixth Form last September.
What experience have you had so far as a scholar?
Yugvir: I’ve been to a networking event in Reading where I met around 100 other scholars and my sponsor. I’ve also met with my mentor who studied mechanical engineering at Imperial College and has worked over 18 years in the industry. I’ll catch up with him every fortnight and he’ll help guide me through what I want to pursue in the future.
Sofia: I’m sponsored by the Royal Air Force and went to a networking event in Rugby to meet the other scholars and network with people in that field. I’ve met my mentor who works for BAE, and he explained the process and is helping to advise about work experience.
Chris: I’ve got a slightly different scholarship which is virtual, so my networking event was online, and we did team building exercises and communication skills which I enjoyed. I’ve also got a group mentor and the best thing for me is the access we have to the portal which has a forum with useful resources about work experience placements, news about the industry or you can find out about people who used to be scholars and what they’re doing now.
How do you think the scholarship will help you prepare for life after Highgate Sixth Form?
Sofia: I think it will definitely help, especially with having all of the resources online and advice from a mentor. I feel like I switch my ideas of what I want to do literally every week, so having someone to talk to who has that experience and guide me through it is helpful. The networking opportunities and speaking to people about work experience is valuable too.
Ms Taylor, why do you think these scholarships are beneficial to pupils?
An Arkwright Engineering Scholarship recognises passion, talent and excellence in pupils who are interested in the world of engineering and provides support and guidance for those interested in pursuing a career within the profession. The rigorous application process is excellent preparation for life beyond school, whether that’s going to university or into the world of work. External awards like this give young people motivation with their studies and it provides opportunities to meet other like-minded students, mentors and leaders in the industry that could help them in the future.
Chris, Sofia and Yugvir produced exceptional DTE projects for their GCSE exam, working independently to produce success in their final outcomes. They’ve also gone above and beyond in being actively involved with DTE co-curricular activities, so these awards are well deserved!
Find out more about Design Technology and Engineering at Highgate from Ms Taylor’s blog here.
