A NISSAN dealership in Scotland has given Edinburgh College a cash award that will help students learn more about electric vehicles.
Straiton-based Alex F Noble & Son has given £3,000 for scholarships for two students on the college’s engineering courses to develop their knowledge and practical skills in the growing sustainable-vehicle engineering field.
The aim is to ensure they leave college equipped with a greater depth of knowledge in electric vehicle technology, helping make them effective employees and providing the motor industry with the support to move with sustainable transportation developments.
One £1,500 scholarship will be awarded this academic year and another student will benefit next year. They will be selected based on their interest in electric vehicles and each one will carry out an agreed project as part of their studies.
The scholarships are the result of a long-standing partnership between the college and Alex F Noble & Son, which includes the dealership providing regular placements for automotive engineering students.
This year it provided four new Nissan LEAF electric cars for the college’s electric vehicle project, and to date they have been a successful addition to the fleet.
The college now has a fleet of 11 electric vehicles, including two cars at each campus plus an electric minibus and a buggy, which allow staff to travel between campuses in a more sustainable way.
It is also carrying out research into electric vehicle travel, looking at how effective they are in cutting carbon emissions and their long-term viability as an alternative means of transport. The research is a partnership with Edinburgh Napier University.
Gordon Campbell, Sales Manager at Alex F Noble & Son, said: “We’re very proud of our long association with Edinburgh College and thrilled to be sponsoring the new electric vehicle scholarships. Our Nissan LEAF all-electric vehicles are very much the future of motoring, so it’s fitting that the new scholarships are helping the students of today become the highly skilled technicians of tomorrow.”
Ross Milligan, Edinburgh College’s Engineering Curriculum Manager, said: “We are delighted to work with Alex F Noble & Son and will ensure that we involve students with a keen interest in sustainable transport and the support network. The company’s support in ensuring our students are ready to work in an evolving industry is fantastic and we’re sure the students will get huge benefits from taking part.”
Scottish Transport Minister Derek Mackay is supporting the scholarship scheme, and he said: “This scholarship is a great incentive for students interested in developing their knowledge of electric vehicles and sustainable transport.
“I am encouraged by the partnership working between Edinburgh College and Alex F Noble & Son to promote and educate future generations on the benefits of electric vehicles.
“Over the past two years, the Scottish Government has invested over £10 million in electric vehicles and infrastructure in Scotland, and more than £17 million will be invested in a range of low-carbon vehicle projects over the next two years – with further support for the Green Bus Fund – helping to make electric vehicles more accessible to the Scottish public and Scottish businesses.”
