HENLEY COLLEGE STUDENT WINS OXFORDSHIRE YOUNG FEMALE ENGINEER OF THE FUTURE

Current BTEC Level 3 Engineering student Alexandra Winch has won ‘Young Female Engineer of the Future 2019’ at the Oxfordshire High Sheriff Engineering Awards!

The awards recognise outstanding young people in Oxfordshire who excel in Engineering, Design Technology or Resistant Materials. Lady Sylvia Jay of Ewelme, the current High Sheriff for Oxfordshire, presented the award with her prizes provided by Lucy Group included £1,000 for each winning student’s school and an iPad.

Engineering teacher, Adam Kirkwood nominated Alexandra for the award:

“Alexandra joined us in September 2017 with an evident passion for engineering. She enrolled for the BTEC Engineering Extended Diploma at Henley College and in addition she enrolled for Maths A-level at the same time. This meant she had effectively enrolled for the equivalent of 4 “A” levels. She was very focused and organised right from the start and always handed work in on time and always to a high standard. At the end of the first year she was one of only 2 students who was awarded the top mark for one of the externally marked exams. This with her continued application and willingness to take advice means she will almost certainly complete the course with triple D* the highest grade. In her spare time she works for a classic Bugatti restoration business and also a half term at BMW in Oxford. Her crowning achievement was to be one of only a handful of students to be awarded a Degree Apprenticeship with Rolls Royce Aero Engines in Filton.”

Satwant Deol, Principal of The Henley College said

“My dream two years ago was to get more women into engineering, this certainly has come true. I am absolutely delighted with Alexandra’s achievement, she is a true pioneer and a great role model . I would like thank the staff for their commitment and support in transforming and growing our engineering department.

We have other successes in this department with many students going onto prestigious high level apprenticeship with companies like BMW and Carlin. A huge thanks to our Careers Adviser Julia Lock for suggesting the awards to our Engineering department.”

Adam Kirkwood, attended the awards ceremony with Alex and was truly impressed with her success adding that “Alex has a Degree apprenticeship to look forward to with Rolls Royce, she was one of just 34 successful candidates from 32,000 applications.”