Scholarship awards energise Levenmouth Academy pupils

Five Levenmouth Academy pupils have been given a boost to their future careers after being awarded scholarships by Shell UK.

The pupils, currently on the Shell UK Girls into Energy course at Fife College’s Levenmouth Campus, received the scholarship awards for their hard work and commitment to their studies.

Mirren Docherty, Rhiannon Grant and Abbie Dryburgh were awarded £1,000 scholarships, while Mia Walker and Cerys Campbell received £500 each. The awards were made at a presentation held at the Levenmouth Campus.

Mairi McKay, Community Liaison Officer for Shell UK, was delighted to make the awards to the five students and to find out more about their plans for the future.

Mairi McKay, Community Liaison Officer with Shell UK, said:

“It was a pleasure to meet the students, to see the results of their hard work throughout the year and to hear about their future ambitions.

"It’s vital that young women see an opportunity in the energy industry and the Girls in Energy course aims to link real life and learning experiences to nurture the next generation of problem-solvers, leaders and innovators.

"Congratulations to our very deserving scholarship winners this year. I’m confident they can go on to enjoy exciting and fulfilling careers in the energy sector in the future.”

Shell UK and Fife College are working together to help reduce the gender imbalance in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) related subjects.

The Girls in Energy course, sponsored by Shell UK, offers pupils a unique insight into the energy industry as well as enhancing key employability skills. The course has been popular with pupils over last few years with 20 students from Levenmouth Academy, aged 14 to 16, taking part this year.

Shell UK also works with Fife College to support and encourage more people into the energy industry through a scholarship which benefits students studying engineering courses including HNC Mechanical Engineering and HNC Electrical Engineering.

Abbie Dryburgh, from Leven, was delighted to be named one of this year’s Shell UK Girls in Energy scholarship winners.

Abbie said:

“I’m really happy to win the scholarship. I’m going to save the money so I can use it when I go onto further education and use it for study materials or anything else that can help me get the qualifications I need."

Abbie, who has enjoyed the Girls in Energy course so much that she has applied to start a Foundation Apprenticeship in Engineering later this year, added:

“I was interested in energy before, so the course sounded like a great thing to do. I’ve enjoyed it a lot, it’s probably one of the best decisions I’ve made as it encouraged me to go and apply for the Foundation Apprenticeship.”

Usually taken over two years, in S5 and S6, Foundation Apprenticeships offer early exposure to the world of work, helping pupils develop the skills, experience, and knowledge required when they leave school.

Lyn Gold, Scholarship and Alumni Engagement Lead at Fife College, said:

“Congratulations to Mirren, Rhiannon, Abbie, Mia and Cerys, they are all thoroughly deserving winners of this year’s Shell UK Girls into Energy Scholarship awards.

“Receiving these awards will provide a great financial boost for them and having a global company like Shell UK on their CVs will also really help them stand out from the crowd when they take their next steps.

“Shell UK have been fantastic supporters of Adam Smith Scholarships, as well as many other activities across the College, for well over a decade now. We are very grateful for their continued support which has provided some amazing opportunities for our students, helping set them on the path towards a very promising future career.”