Engineering firm awards scholarships to two local students

LOCAL engineering firm Ocean Kinetics has moved forward with a programme of investing into its future workforce by awarding two scholarships to Shetland students.

Over the duration of their studies, Elsie Msalila and James Rendall will both benefit from an annual bursary of £3,000 each as well as personal mentoring, paid summer work experience at Ocean Kinetics and the possibility of a graduate engineering position at the company.

By offering these scholarships, Ocean Kinetics aims to diversify its team and provide more opportunities for young graduates on Shetland.

Msalila plans to study mechatronics at the University of Glasgow, while Rendall has options to study mechanical engineering at Edinburgh Napier University and Glasgow Caledonian University.

Ocean Kinetics managing director John Henderson said: “This is the first time we have offered a scholarship opportunity and we can already see the many benefits it will bring to the students, to Ocean Kinetics, and to the wider Shetland community.”

Msalila said she was proud to be part of the initiative. “I want to be in an environment that pushes me to develop my understanding of new concepts and skills, and I think the Ocean Kinetics Futures scholarship will provide exactly that,” she said.

Rendall added that the scholarship will help him focus on his studies.

“Having the support of a scholarship means I can live comfortably on the mainland”, he said. “The summer work experience will also provide me with invaluable practical skills.”

Henderson concluded: “Both students have demonstrated a commitment to their engineering studies and career, so we’re very much looking forward to working with James and Elsie over the next few years.”

This initiative is part of the company’s wider ‘Futures’ programme, which also includes Q&A sessions with Ocean Kinetics’ staff, gifting sponsors and recruiting a graduate trainee to join the team.

The scholarship initiative considered Shetland students planning to study a STEM subject (science, technology, engineering or mathematics) at HND or degree level.