Furness College celebrated its commitment to engineering excellence at a prestigious annual prizegiving.
Students from the Channelside and Rating Lane campuses were presented with their cash awards by the Barrow and District Association of Engineers.
Channelside student Lewis Wadsworth won the craft engineering bursary and Leah Clough scooped the bursary for technical engineering. Barrow Sixth Form College students Alex Stephens and Alex Courtman won the student bursaries in the event held at the Channelside campus.
Alex Courtman, who aims to study mechanical engineering at Lancaster University or Edge Hill with a plan to work at BAE Systems following his degree, said: “I’m excited because I have been acknowledged for my achievements in STEM subjects and the funding gives me more opportunities.”
Alex Stephens, who plans to study software engineering at Cambridge or Cardiff university after his A-levels, said: “The funding is going to really help me at university because I won’t have to worry about the money and I can focus on my education.”
The association’s top scholarships were awarded to Barrow Sixth Form students Callum Birnie who received the top prize of £1,250 and Daniel Jewell who secured the runner-up prize of £625.
Callum, who studied A-levels in physics, maths, further maths and computer science at the Rating Lane campus, is studying a degree in computer science at Lancaster University.
Daniel who got A*A*A*C grades in his A-levels in business, maths, further maths and physics is at Loughborough University studying a degree in automotive engineering.
Furness College’s director of curriculum for student experience and academic progress, Helen Gibson, said: “It was brilliant to see so many talented young people in the room being recognised for their hard work,” she said. “Alex Courtman and Alex Stephens have both been standout students at sixth form while Lewis and Leah are progressing fantastically in their engineering careers.”
“It was also great to see Callum and Daniel win scholarships, which will be so helpful to them as they enjoy their university studies.”
The awards were presented by Dr Amanda Taylor-Beswick, director of the Centre for Digital Transformation at the University of Cumbria, who also gave an inspiring speech about ways technology can transform people’s daily lives.
