The children’s education charity, The Smallpeice Trust, is calling for students and schools to sign up to itsengineering scholarship programme, The Arkwright Engineering Scholarship.

The programme, for which applications are now open, is designed to inspire and equip the country’s brightest young people to pursue their dreams of changing the world through engineering.

The Scholarship provides 16-year old students in the UK with a two-year fully sponsored programme of hands-on experience, professional mentorship and careers guidance across a range of specialisms, from aerospace to automotive engineering.

Supporting the next generation of engineering talent is key for the nation’s development and economic recovery amidst the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, yet we are currently facing an annual shortage of around 60,000 talented and diverse engineers.

Misconceptions around what it means to be an engineer and a lack of opportunities to gain first-hand industry experience are some of the obstacles preventing young people, particularly girls and students from disadvantaged backgrounds, from engaging with engineering.

The Smallpeice Trust has partnered with leading engineering firms such as the RAF, Rolls Royce and Network Rail to close this gap and provide invaluable, real-world learning experiences, from getting up close and personal with a Typhoon Jet to working on national solar energy and electrical power projects.

Arkwright Engineering Scholars will also benefit from a range of enrichment opportunities to help them pursue their engineering passions, including:

• A £600 financial bonus which can be used to fund technical or curriculum-based projects, the purchase of equipment and additional courses
• Mentoring from industry experts, providing practical advice and guidance with technical projects, further study and careers development
• Networking opportunities at exclusive events run by the Programme’s partner companies, universities and trade associations
• Nationally recognised Scholarship certification to supplement university and apprenticeship applications

Scholarship applicants are encouraged to show-off their enthusiasm and engineering knowledge in an online application process, with successful students being invited to interview at one of the country’s leading universities.

If a Scholarship is awarded participating schools further receive a £400 donation which they can utilise for STEM events and resources to benefit students.

2021 also marks the 30th anniversary of The Arkwright Engineering Scholarship Programme, which is celebrating increased numbers of female scholars. In 2020, the Programme supported 296 scholars, with 45 per cent of these being female, and 38 per cent of scholar from non-selective state schools.