PAWEL Janicki, a second-year engineering student at Edinburgh College, is the first winner of two scholarship cash awards being presented by Midlothian Nissan dealer Alex F Noble & Son.
The firm has given £3,000 to support two students from the college’s engineering courses to develop their knowledge and practical skills in the growing sustainable vehicle engineering field.
A £1,500 scholarship is being awarded to Pawel this academic year and another student will benefit next year. The students are selected based on their interest in electric vehicles and each carry out an agreed project as part of their studies.
The aim of the scholarship is to ensure the students 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.
Pawel, 23, is currently studying on the HND Engineering Systems (with Renewable Energies) course, having successfully completed year one in academic session 2014/15.
He originally completed the first year of an HND Photography course with an A, but decided that the automotive industry was the route he wanted to follow.
He said: “I completed a City & Guilds Light Vehicle Maintenance and Repair course in 2013. At that time, I worked as an unpaid assistant in a garage helping one of the mechanics.
“I have now joined the HND Engineering Systems (with Renewable Energies) course as a route into continuing my education at University and received an A grade for the first year of the course. The projects I worked on included collecting data from the Solar Meadow at Midlothian Campus and comparing the output power produced against the running costs of the college fleet of electric cars”.
Pawel concluded: “My ultimate goal is to work for a Formula 1 team as a technician or to be involved in car design”.
The new 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.
Last year, Alex F Noble & Son provided four new Nissan LEAFs for the college’s electric vehicle project and to date they have been a successful addition to the fleet.
Gordon Campbell, Sales Manager at Alex F Noble & Son said: “We’re very proud of our long association with Edinburgh College and thrilled for Pawel in winning the first of our two electric vehicle scholarships.”
Edinburgh College’s Engineering Curriculum Manager, Ross Milligan, said: “Pawel’s a great student and a very worthy winner of the scholarship, so we’re delighted he’s getting to benefit from Alex F Noble & Son’s generosity. He’s proven that he’s passionate about sustainable engineering and transport, and this award will really help him develop and achieve his career aims.
“This partnership with Alex F Noble & Son is preparing students to become integral parts of an evolving industry. It’s helping us give students extra opportunities and providing the automotive industry with the workforce it needs as it changes with developing technologies. This is a good demonstration of close partnership working between education and our industry partners.”
