Doorway opened to civil engineering courses through new philanthropic fund

Through the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Scotland a scholarship fund has been set up through a generous donation to the Institution by a retired solicitor based in Govan, Glasgow. Its aim is to remove the cost of a student loan preventing anyone from studying civil engineering.

Four awards of £4000 per year for young people aged 21 and under living in Scotland are made to allow them to study in Scotland. The award is open to full-time or part-time students as well as apprentices or students on day or block release from an employer. Each successful candidate receives £4000 per year for a maximum period of four years.

The civil engineering qualification must be recognised by the Institution of Civil Engineers – for example NC, HNC, HND, BSc, BEng, MEng, and recipients of the award will be expected to commit to a future professional engineering qualification such as EngTech MICE, IEng MICE or CEng MICE.

Young people for whom the cost of student debt is a potential deterrent to a career in civil engineering and those living in rural areas are particularly encouraged to apply by the end of March for courses beginning from September this year.

Application forms and details can be found on the ICE Scotland website at www.ice.org.uk.

Sara Thiam, director ICE Scotland, said: “Through this wonderfully generous gesture we hope to attract more young aspiring civil engineers to take up studies in Scotland and to help fill the growing lack of civil engineers across the country.

“Our recently launched Manifesto for Infrastructure showed that the recruitment of an additional 180 civil engineers is required each year just to meet industry needs. So we need to attract more young people to take up studies, both young men and women, the latter being under represented in the industry.”

Award recipients will be required to become Student Members of the Institution of Civil Engineers at the start of their course, and participate in activities to promote civil engineering and encourage awareness for civil engineering amongst young people. Successful candidates will be notified of their award by the end of June.