Daniel Waite, Melissa Adams, Emily Kerr, Alice Stewart, Syed Tirmzi, Henry Allen
Local school student Melissa Adams (17) is having a behind-the-scenes tour of the engineering world this week, after being chosen for the weeklong Renishaw Engineering Experience from 29th June – 3rd July. The annual competition gives six 16 and 17 year olds from across the UK an all-expenses-paid opportunity to spend a week visiting industry leading engineering companies in the UK.
The competition is now in its third year, and this year will see Melissa, who goes to James Allen’s Girls’ School in Dulwich, join the five other lucky winners in visiting engineering companies in the fields of manufacturing, construction, renewable energy, television and transportation.
The week starts and ends with Renishaw, the Gloucestershire-based metrology company who organise the competition in conjunction with Young Engineers, the charity devoted to encouraging young people to consider a future in engineering.
Monday sees Melissa and the group visit Renishaw’s South Wales manufacturing site, where the group will have a site tour and take part in a hands-on manufacturing exercise. Over the rest of the week, the group will visit the Royal Mint, Laing O’Rourke’s Adult Mental Health Unit construction site, Tidal Lagoon Power’s headquarters, Aardman Animations Studios, Siemens Rail Automation, Bloodhound SSC Technical Centre and the National Composite Centre. On Friday the group will spend their final day of the tour at Renishaw’s headquarters in Wotton-Under-Edge, where they will meet Renishaw graduates and have the opportunity to gain advice and ask questions about their prospective careers.
Rod Edwards, Chief Executive of Young Engineers, said, “Selecting this year’s winners was extremely difficult. Maybe the word is getting around as to what an amazing experience this is, but the standard of applications this year was incredibly high. I do believe, however, that the selection panel did a great job and we have 6 high performing sixth-formers who will have a fascinating, busy, but very enjoyable week.”
Julie Collins, Renishaw’s Education Liaison Manager, said, “The Renishaw Engineering Experience is a unique opportunity for young people to get a first-hand look at the work engineers do on a day-to-day basis. The six winners already have a keen interest in engineering, but this experience will hopefully be the next step in showing them the kind of job they can aspire to in the future.”
The six students chosen are:
- Alice Stewart, Haberdashers Monmouth School for Girls
- Daniel Waite, Collingwood College, Camberley
- Emily Kerr, Grantown Grammar School, Speyside
- Henry Allen, The Castle School, Thornbury
- Melissa Adams, James Allen’s Girls’ School, Dulwich
- Syed Tirmzi, Bluecoat Academy, Nottingham