Set up to reward outstanding contributions to employability across the UK, the awards include three STEM Student of the Year categories across science, technology, and engineering. Each of the three winners will receive an all-expenses paid trip to CERN to visit the Hadron Collider.
Top prize in the engineering category went to Louise Cook, a student at Portlethen Academy in Aberdeen. Having taken part in the Career Ready programme, Louise believes she is now better prepared to enter the engineering profession.
“Before I started the Career Ready programme I was unsure of my future and what career path I would take,” she said. “I lacked experience in the workplace and the self confidence to decide my future. Now I have a clearer idea of my future career and I am a much more confident person.”
“It is such an honour as I had no idea I would have the chance to be nominated. Being on the Career Ready programme is an amazing opportunity and this is the icing on the cake.”
Yehya Hawila, a student at Paddington Academy in London, was runner up in the engineering category. He gained first-hand experience of the workplace through placement with Costain, the multi-disciplinary engineering firm based in Maidenhead.
“I wasn’t confident about what I wanted to do in the future, but Career Ready helped me to find a career ambition and gave me the opportunity to network with professionals in the construction sector,” Yehya said.
“I’ve been lucky enough to gain a place on a degree funded apprenticeship programme at Costain. I’ve now got a strong foundation on which to build my future.”
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If I may add my own personal Tip No. 6 it goes something like this: From time to time a more senior member of staff will start explaining something...