I realised the future of engineering is going to be electric

Having spent the last four years completing a Mechanical Engineering apprenticeship, it has become evident to me that the future of engineering is going electric. This can clearly be seen in the world around us; electric cars are becoming 'the norm' and almost every consumer product on the market contains some form of electronics.

The subject itself has always been an interest of mine - I remember my parents buying me an electronics kit as a child and being fascinated by making things work. Engineering has always been a massive part of my life and I cannot remember a time when I did not want to pursue it as a career. I strive to one day work at the forefront of engineering innovation and the best way to do so is to follow an electrical pathway. It was for this reason that I decided to go to University as a mature student and change the direction of my career.

I truly believe that studying Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Sheffield will allow me to achieve this. The city holds a special place in my heart being the birthplace of my Mother and the home of my Grandparents with whom I am very close. The engineering history surrounding Sheffield is second to none and I am truly honoured to have the chance to follow in the footsteps of some of the world's greatest engineers.

Receiving the scholarship will help me to pursue various ideas and projects for which I have not previously had the time to conduct and would not otherwise have the funding to do whilst at Uni. Despite having applied to study Electrical and Electronic Engineering, I still have a strong interest in Mechanical Engineering.

My apprenticeship has given me a brilliant knowledge in this field, however I would still like to increase this further as being skilled in both disciplines will make me a much more capable engineer. The scholarship will help to fund multidisciplinary projects and additional training courses to boost my knowledge. One such example is my desire to improve my CAD and draughting skills by attending such training courses and undertaking projects of my own design. This will naturally supplement my degree and broaden my skill range.

The scholarship will also help me to travel to and from home during my free time. My Mum has Multiple Sclerosis; a degenerative neurological disease which has a vast range of effects on those who have it. To date, Mum has been fairly lucky, but her condition has worsened over the years and will unfortunately continue to do so. I therefore try to spend as much time with her as possible and help her whenever she is struggling. This has made the decision to go to university extremely difficult; moving away would seriously affect the time I have with Mum and the help I can offer.

Receiving the scholarship has made the decision much easier and provided a much greater incentive to make the move thanks to the extra opportunities it has given me. It will also help me to travel home from time to time to give my support when needed.

The Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering have a variety of scholarships available to help students during their time with us.  For more details please visit the Scholarships page.