The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Northern Ireland has awarded seven QUEST Technician Scholarships totalling £10,000 to outstanding budding civil engineers from across the Province, all of whom are following different paths into industry.
Four students from South West College (SWC), each received a £1500 QUEST Technician Scholarship, which recognises excellence among students or apprentices on further or higher education courses, that could also lead to becoming an ICE Technician member (EngTech MICE).
Working for Whitemountain, Jack Henry is attending SWC through the Work+ Apprenticeship Scheme. Jack became interested in civil engineering after being inspired by the construction of the Derry-Londonderry Peace Bridge and now has a long-term goal of becoming a chartered civil engineer.
Tristan Harpur, an apprentice with Lowry Building and Civil Engineering and studying Civil and Environmental Engineering at SWC, became interested in civil engineering after realising the vast opportunities and technology available to civil engineers, as well as the satisfaction engineers gained from solving problems. Tristan has been involved in several projects which have gained several regional and national awards. He says the awards were a “massive confidence boost,” and showed him that “working as a team can help you create something you couldn’t do yourself.”
Sile McKinney is a Work+ Apprentice with Lagan Construction Group and is studying at SWC. Sile has done extensive volunteer work related to earthquake relief both in New Zealand and in Nepal. She hopes to continue her studies and earn a BEng and then work in earthquake response. She says her volunteer experiences gave her "insight into the vulnerability of people's lives" relating to the buildings in which they live and work.
Jack Mitchell, who is doing a Foundation Degree at SWC, is simultaneously working as a trainee engineer at Henry Brothers. He says that his passion for business and enterprise have inspired his goal of establishing his own civil engineering business. However, he says that "with much to learn about the construction industry, my current objective is knowledge, qualification, and experience."
Speaking about the QUEST Technician Scholarships, Mr Padraig McNamee, Head of Technology at SWC said;
“We are delighted with the success of our students being awarded the prestigious QUEST Technician Scholarships. This financial reward is well deserved and testament to their abilities and potential, which boosts their CVs and ultimately their reputation within the industry.”