October 10, 2014 8.47 am This story is over 113 months old

Lincoln teenager wins prestigious Arkwright Scholarship

Prestigious award: a Lincoln pupil has earned a special scholarship in engineering.

A pupil from a Lincoln school has earned a prestigious scholarship, the first in the school’s history to win one.

Matthew Thompson from Sir Robert Pattinson Academy beat 1,380 students in the UK be awarded the Arkwright Scholarship.

The scholarship identifies, inspires and nurtures future leaders in engineering and related areas of design.

Thompson won the award after a selection process involving an application form, an aptitude exam and an interview. The aptitude exam tested for flair and originality solving engineering design problems, while the interview asked candidates about their aspirations and an engineering project they had conducted.

At the interview day, they took part in a team exercise to solve a hands-on engineering problem.

Thompson will receive £600 to enhance his A level studies and access to a range of activities to improve his understanding and experience of engineering.

Headteacher Helen Renard said: “We are thrilled for Matthew. He is a gifted and determined young man and this award is a well-deserved recognition of his talents.”

“Our school has a history and culture of nurturing vocational skills and we are delighted one of our pupils has achieved such a distinguished award.”

Dr Martin Thomas, Chief Executive of the Arkwright Scholarships Trust said: “I am delighted to see students from Sir Robert Pattinson Academy secure this prestigious accolade.

“Clearly, there is considerable technical talent in the Lincoln area. With the competition for rewarding jobs becoming ever-more fierce, the receipt of an Arkwright Engineering Scholarship can help dynamic young people at the start of their journey to be the country’s future leaders in engineering and technical design.”