Having been active in the nuclear sector for many years, global company Mott MacDonald was keen to offer support to undergraduate students in this engineering discipline. Following a competitive application process, followed by an interview with a senior manager from Mott MacDonald, final year Masters students Caroline Sharp and Emily Richardson emerged successful and were offered a scholarship of £5,000 each. Both Caroline and Emily are fourth year students studying for MEng (Hons) in Nuclear Engineering.

Presenting the awards, Mike Haigh, Managing Director for Europe and Africa, said: “Mott MacDonald is well known in Higher Education for providing good careers in many different engineering and non-engineering disciplines”.

“Through this award, the company wants to increase its visibility to faculty and students in disciplines in which we are less well-known. The Nuclear sector is one such area and we are pleased to be supporting Emily and Caroline, who are studying for Masters degrees in Nuclear Engineering. We wish them success.”

Dr Allan Rennie, who leads on industrial placements for Lancaster University’s Engineering Department, said: “Being able to offer our students opportunities within industry is a key objective of many degree programmes now, whether that be through work experience placements, spending a Year-in-Industry or financial support.

“Mott MacDonald has been very good in this regard in the last couple of years, with our students gaining valuable industrial experience in many parts of the company’s operations. This new opportunity of offering a financial scholarship to promising young engineers to support them in their final year is testament to the high regard which Mott MacDonald has of our students and graduates.”

Following a Year-in-Industry placement with Mott MacDonald during the last academic year, Miss Richardson said: “I am very appreciative of the financial bursary which has been awarded by Mott MacDonald. I am looking forward to focusing on my final year, before returning as a graduate in Mott MacDonald’s nuclear power sector.”

Miss Sharp said: “Receiving financial support from an award-winning company operating in the nuclear sector is such a fantastic opportunity for me to heighten my prospects as a graduate and I’m very thankful to Mott MacDonald for helping me to access the tools I need to have a successful and enjoyable year at Lancaster University.”

Lancaster Engineering graduates continue into the job market with great success according to the Destination of Leavers of Higher Education Survey (DLHE). The latest available data shows 100 per cent of UK full-time undergraduates secure positive destinations, defined as either graduate level jobs or further study.

More information about Engineering at Lancaster is available by visiting http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/engineering/

Businesses interested in offering placements to Lancaster Engineering students should contact Dr Rennie by emailing a.rennie@lancaster.ac.uk or by calling 01524 594384.