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Arkwright Scholarships for Canfordians

Published by Canford School on Tuesday 30th of November 2021

We are delighted to share the news that two of our Sixth Form pupils, Merlin Cork and Jessica West, have been awarded Arkwright Engineering scholarships. Open to pupils aged 16 embarking on A Level, BTECs or Scottish Highers, these awards are highly sought after and pupils go through a rigorous selection process. Every scholarship is sponsored by a commercial company, trade association, university, professional institution, armed service, government organisation, worshipful company, charitable trust or personal donor. So the scholarship offers direct access to leading engineering specialists providing hands-on work experience, support for curriculum projects and a personal mentor to support career planning. Financial awards of £600 for each pupil and £400 for their school are also part of the scholarship.

Merlin found the whole application process extremely rewarding:

“When applying for the scholarship, I was encouraged and helped by the DT department throughout. The initial application requires a lot of detail and probed into where my interests could lie. My teachers helped focus my application into what was the crux of who I was and what I was about. This was important due to the highly competitive field of applicants. Those who were successful in the application process were then given a tough 30-minute interview about our application and engineering interests which cut down the number of applicants again.

The process as a whole has helped me to find a clearer direction for my future that I can now strive towards and the benefits from the scholarship will hopefully give me a push in that direction. I am very grateful to have been awarded such a prestigious scholarship and am excited to see where I can go from here and how Arkwright can help me with my ambitions.”

Merlin’s scholarship is being sponsored by The Emmott Foundation Limited. Founded in 1961, the Emmott Foundation is a charity whose objective is to give grants for educational purposes. The Foundation is one of Arkwright's longest serving supporters, having sponsored its first Arkwright Scholarship in 1991.

Jessica was equally delighted with her award:

“An Arkwright Engineering scholarship aims to encourage young people to be proactive in STEM based careers. I applied because I’m not sure which career I want to pursue in the future, so this was a great opportunity to discover a field of work that students my age would not ordinarily have access to. I was introduced to the programme by Mr Martin our Head of DT and was very fortunate to have some great guidance through the portfolio and interview process. As a result of gaining the scholarship, I have been partnered with DePuy Synthes - a global company which designs and manufactures biomedical products such as prosthetics, surgical equipment and machinery as well as doing research. Early next year, I hope to have some work experience at one of their sites in Leeds, where I will be introduced to a mentor and shown various aspects of what biomechanical engineering entails. The scholarship isn’t just limited to this company but there are also connect days around the country, where I can explore different fields and university courses. Thank you to the Arkwright Foundation for offering this fantastic opportunity.”

Jonathan Martin, Head of Design Technology at Canford, said:

“I am delighted for both Merlin and Jessica. These scholarships offer the chance to gain insight into the engineering world through direct contact with organisations at the forefront of this field. As a result, the process is extremely competitive and it is wonderful that they were both successful. I hope that the experience will further encourage them in developing their knowledge of what a career in engineering could offer them.”

For more information about the Arkwright Scholarships, please visit www.arkwright.org.uk
Arkwright Scholarships for Canfordians - Photo 1
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