The scheme – jointly funded by industry and government with £3 million each – awards bursaries to study masters (MSc) degrees in aerospace engineering and will help us meet the urgent demand for engineers in the UK.
Lowri Nicholls, 24, of North Wales has been awarded the 500th Aerospace Masters bursary, fulfilling a commitment made by the Aerospace Growth Partnership to create an additional 500 MSc places. Already with a BSc in mathematics, she will study an MSc in materials science and engineering at Leeds University.
She said: “UK aerospace is recognised as being a front runner in the development of lightweight materials and heavily invests in the field. It would be the best place to learn and make an impact as a materials engineer, and has great opportunities for specialist employment within the sector.”
Since its launch by the Prime Minister in 2012 at the Farnborough international air show, the Aerospace Masters Bursary Scheme has been developing a pipeline of talented individuals looking for a career in aerospace who, but for the bursary, would have been unable to study at that level.
The scheme is managed by the Royal Academy of Engineering and Royal Aeronautical Society and sponsors include Airbus, BAE Systems, Bombardier Aerospace (Belfast), Finmeccanica UK, GE Aviation, GKN, MBDA Missile Systems, Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, Rolls-Royce and Spirit AeroSystems.
It has also been supported by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Enterprise and Learning in the Northern Ireland Administration.
Soubry said: “Aerospace is a sector where the UK has genuine world-leading capability. I want to capitalise on this so that we can win a big share of the $5.5 trillion market for new aircraft which will be needed over the next 17 years.
“This scheme is helping to ensure our aerospace industry gets the skills it needs to compete and grow and presents a great opportunity for people to build a highly skilled career.”
