Above: Amelie (L) and Haya (R) are in receipt of the prestigious Arkwright Engineering Scholarship
Three girls who attend Dame Allan’s Schools are in receipt of the prestigious Arkwright Engineering Scholarship, designed to propel them into their chosen engineering career.
Haya Al-Mimar (Y13), Amelie Dunning (Y12) and Masa Alazabi (Y11) are all benefiting from this prestigious scholarship programme, which supports aspiring engineers into the industry. In order to achieve the Arkwright Scholarship, each girl had to submit an application detailing their motivations for pursuing the scholarship and a career in engineering, take an online aptitude exam, submit an example of a previous engineering-based project, and take part in an interview. They must also agree to pursue further education in one of a range of engineering courses.
Following their success, Haya, Amelie, and Masa now benefit from tailored mentoring from industry experts, plus exclusive networking and learning opportunities.
Haya has a particular interest in mechanical engineering and sustainability. She commented: “I was so excited to find out I had been awarded an Arkwright Scholarship! Myself, Masa and Amelie all work to support each other through the process, just as I was supported by an older pupil when I applied.
“I was inspired to follow an engineering career after a careers event at Dame Allan’s, I spoke to someone from Cundall [an engineering consultancy in Newcastle upon Tyne] and realised that engineering would be a great fit for my interests in Design Technology and Geography. This turned into summer work experience, which I loved, and then led to the Arkwright Scholarship. I have a fantastic mentor named Lia who is a mechanical engineer, and looking ahead I am hoping to study structural or mechanical engineering at university in September.
“I think it is so important for women and girls to get involved in engineering. We have different ways of approaching challenges, and I think having more diversity in the profession can only lead to better problem solving. When I was little, I was really into cars and there were no other girls who I could share this fascination with; now I hope that I can be a role model to inspire other girls and young women to lean into their passion for engineering and tech.”
Amelie was supported by Haya as she completed her own Arkwright application. She added: “I have loved STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) throughout my education, and in Year 10 began to seriously consider an engineering career. Dame Allan’s Head of Science Mr Downie was really helpful and encouraged me to apply for the Arkwright Scholarship. I am passionate about the environment and tackling climate change, and hope to work in the environmental engineering sector where I can make positive change.
“My scholarship has been so valuable to me, I have attended industry networking and university events, have a really supportive mentor from a local research institution and can clearly see my next steps to a career in engineering.”
Above: Masa is very proud of her Arkwright Engineering Scholarship, and hopes to work within computer engineering.
The youngest scholarship recipient, Masa (above), is currently in the middle of her GCSE exams. She has a keen interest in computer engineering and programming, and hopes to work within the rapidly growing industry of artificial intelligence. Masa said: “I was so happy to secure the Arkwright Scholarship, it was a lot of hard work, particularly as the assessment and interview came just after my mock GCSE exams!”
“I think it is so important for women and girls to get involved in engineering. The most important problems in the world are often solved by engineers. Having more representation by minority groups and women ensures that everyone’s voice is heard, meaning that the problems of minority groups and women can also be solved. These problems cannot be identified if women and minority groups have no voice in the industry.”