Tag: scholarship

New scholarship for civil engineering students

BEAR Scotland honour the memory of former chairman by supporting new industry talent

Road maintenance giants BEAR Scotland have launched a scholarship for civil engineering students at Edinburgh Napier University in memory of former chairman Bill Taylor.

From academic year 2021/22 onwards, the Bill Taylor Scholarship (BEAR Scotland) will provide £3400 to support an undergraduate through the latter years of their degree.

Mr Taylor (above), who passed away in 2016, had been involved in the management and maintenance of the Scottish trunk road network for 20 years.

The scholarship in his name will be open to students pursuing MEng and BEng (Master and Bachelor) civil engineering courses at the University. Students will be eligible to apply during their second year, with the award confirmed upon successful entry into year three.

Applications will be reviewed by a University panel, who will consider each individual’s academic ability, background and financial needs, with BEAR Scotland then interviewing the shortlisted candidates before making the final selection.

As well as financial support, the scholarship will see each year’s successful student offered work placements and a place on BEAR Scotland’s graduate training programme after completion of their degree. BEAR Scotland will also continue to support the University’s careers events and its wider work placement programme.

Mark Godsell, BEAR Scotland Commercial Director, said: “We have longstanding links with Edinburgh Napier University and have a number of its alumni in our ranks.

“It is a good partnership that works well for both parties. Students get practical work experience and also potential to enter and progress within the highways industry. We get a pipeline of strong talent into our teams.

“The new Bill Taylor Scholarship cements that relationship further, allowing us to extend our support to an Edinburgh Napier undergraduate to let them fulfil their potential as they complete their degree programme and transition into their career.

“We are committed to investing in future talent. It will be great to award the first recipient in September and get to know them initially through work experience and then as they join us as a graduate.”

Bradley Doran, Graduate Engineer BEAR Scotland, undertook a work experience summer placement at BEAR Scotland between his third and fourth year while studying at Edinburgh Napier before joining the company and then getting involved in the graduate programme.

He said: “The work experience was great – it was a major reason I applied to BEAR when I graduated. The graduate programme is good because you get to see a project right through from beginning to end – from investigation, through to design and then construction. You get a wide experience and you aren’t pigeon-holed so it stands you in good stead for your Institution of Civil Engineers attributes.”

Dr Andrew Maciver, BEng/MEng Programme Leader at Edinburgh Napier, said: “The Bill Taylor Scholarship offers fantastic opportunities for our Civil and Transportation Engineering students to be supported by BEAR Scotland while studying for their degree and gaining valuable work experience before joining their graduate training programme after graduation.

“We are thrilled to be further strengthening our partnership.”

Bill Taylor had been with BEAR Scotland for 13 years prior to his death following a battle with a long-term illness, holding the positions of operations director, managing director and chairman.

He had earlier served as general manager of the Tay Premium Unit and as unit manager with Amey in the south-east.

Kayla receives Edinburgh College Development Trust STEM scholarship

An Edinburgh College HND Engineering Systems student has been awarded a scholarship which will see her working alongside College staff to inspire thousands of pupils to consider STEM careers.

Kayla Ho, who studies at the College’s Midlothian Campus, has been named the David Doig Foundation STEM scholar for 2020 following a successful interview. Kayla’s role is to help deliver the College’s STEM Inspiration Experience programme to P7, S1 and S2 pupils for the remainder of term 2019/20.

The Edinburgh College Development Trust originally received funding from the David Doig Foundation to run the scholarship in 2018. Kayla is the second scholar and will use the opportunity to boost her CV and gain work experience in working as part of a team and with young people from across the region.

Nineteen-year-old Kayla will work with College staff each week to deliver STEM Inspiration Days where pupils take part in a range of activities such as:

  • Exploring gravity and g-force. Students launch eggs attached to parachutes from height to see which ones survive. This uses everyday objects to make the science tangible, accessible, interactive and fun.
  • The Bloodhound Rocket Car Challenge. This is part of the national engagement project around the Bloodhound land-speed record attempt, giving pupils the opportunity to design, build and race their own rocket cars. They learn about physics, aerodynamics, design and the mechanisms of speed.
  • Bridge building where pupils design and build a two-foot cardboard bridge and test it using a heavy car model.

Embedded within each of these sessions is the importance of Maths and its application in Engineering and Science.

Gillian Doig, who founded the David Doig Foundation in memory of her late husband who was an alumnus of Telford College, said: “Congratulations to Kayla on becoming our second STEM scholar.

“We’re very proud to fund this project which will bring benefits to Kayla in terms of work experience but also to so many young people across Edinburgh and Lothians.

“My late husband was a champion of, engineering, education and social responsibility and this scholarship represents this brilliantly. We look forward to hearing how Kayla progresses through her scholarship, as well as her future career.”

Kayla, who is from Edinburgh, said: “It’s brilliant to be this year’s STEM scholar. I’ve had previous experience with working with young people, but the opportunity to teach them STEM and Engineering-related disciplines is new and exciting, and will be great for my CV.”

Looking to the future, Kayla is hoping to progress to Edinburgh Napier University where she will go into the third year of an Energy and Environmental Engineering course and hopes to secure work in the fast-growing Scottish renewables sector.

She said: “With Scotland, and the world, moving to renewable energy sources, it made sense to pursue this career path. I want to be able to discover new ground-breaking ways of working and make the world a better place.”

Josh is appointed Alex F Noble Electric Vehicle scholar

An Automotive student at Edinburgh College is steering his career in a new direction after being awarded the Edinburgh College Development Trust’s  Electric Vehicle (EV) scholarship funded by a long-established Nissan car dealership. Continue reading Josh is appointed Alex F Noble Electric Vehicle scholar