Alastair Robertson with James Charlton-Harrison, Pocklington School, at the Arkwright Scholarships Award ceremony in Edinburgh.
Pocklington School student James Charlton-Harrison has been identified as a future leader in engineering by a prestigious annual award scheme.
The Arkwright Scholarships Trust granted the Lower Sixth Form student an Engineering Scholarship at an awards ceremony in Edinburgh for the UK's most talented STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) students. This year’s ceremony was supported by the Institution of Engineering and Technology and themed around the built environment, supported by Principal Awards Ceremony Sponsors, Arup.
The Sixth Form scholarships, awarded to GCSE design students, are highly regarded by university admissions tutors and industry recruiters. They act as a beacon to the most talented STEM students in UK schools and help to ensure that high-potential young people stay engaged in the engineering careers pipeline, in the critical 16 to 18 age range.
Scholars are selected for their potential as future engineering leaders by assessing their academic, practical and leadership skills in STEM. These are gauged through a rigorous selection process comprising: an assessed application form including a teacher’s reference; a two-hour, problem-solving aptitude exam; and a university-based interview.
The Scholarships support students through their sixth form studies and encourage them into top universities or higher apprenticeships. They consist of an annual financial award to each Scholar and to his/her school, and enrichment activities such as mentoring and industry visits that enhance a Scholar's experience of engineering in a real-world context.
Nic Merridew, Director, Arup said “Congratulations to all this year's new Arkwright Scholars. It was inspiring to meet so many talented young people and I was blown away by what they have achieved already. Doubtless there are many future leaders in engineering within these scholars. As we increasingly rely on automation and digital technology, we will need these scholars’ enthusiasm, innovation and engineering invention to meet the exciting challenges ahead.”
James said: “Engineering has always captivated me from a love of mechanisms in early life through to a strong interest into the precise workings of today’s modern world. The Arkwright Scholarship has allowed me the freedom to expand upon my interests with the immensely valuable help of my sponsors at OSL consulting engineers, with whom I have been offered work experience.’’
‘’The selection process was a challenging experience, but I received a great deal of support from the School’s design department and from a previous Scholarship winner, enabling me to gain a new skillset which shall come in use when applying for university places next year. As yet, I am undecided on the field of engineering I wish to enter as each one has its own set of unique skills and experiences.’’
Steve Ellis, Head of Design and Technology at Pocklington School, said: "Throughout his time at Pocklington School James has increasingly shown his interest in and enthusiasm to know how things work, whether it was being involved in building a soapbox or in his GCSE work. This spirit of enquiry and a willingness to work with others will take him far in the increasingly vital and multifaceted world of engineering.”
James will be working during his time in the sixth form in Pocklington School's new £2.5 million Art and Design Technology Centre, which has recently been built on the School site. The new Centre has been the focus of a major fundraising campaign launched by the School in 2015, which to date has raised £1.92 million. The Campaign still needs to raise a further £80,000 to reach its target of £2 million, to ensure that the new Centre is fitted out to the high standards our students deserve. It is hoped the new Centre will inspire future careers in engineering and other creative industries by encouraging students to explore fresh ways of applying new technology and creating new products and services.