25 April 2023
Five local school pupils on a unique course aimed at encouraging girls into the energy industry have been awarded scholarships for their hard work and commitment.
The pupils, currently undertaking the Shell UK Girls into Energy course at Fife College’s Levenmouth Campus, were awarded scholarships of £750 and £500 by Shell UK to support their studies.
The scholarships were awarded to Keira Leigh Anderson, Emily Somerville, Aimee McKeen, Charley Deas and Jenna Walsh at a special presentation held at Shell UK’s Fife Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) Plant at Mossmorran.
As part of their scholarship awards, which were presented by Mark Downes, Production Coordinator at Fife NGL, the pupils got the opportunity to tour the site and speak with four women working in energy at Fife NGL.
Tyne Bradley, Head of Engineering at the plant said:
“It’s vital that young women see there is a real opportunity for them in the energy industry and the Girls in Energy course aims to nurture the next generation of female problem-solvers, leaders and innovators.
“It was a pleasure to meet the pupils and to see them reap the rewards of their hard work and to hear about their future ambitions.
“Working in energy provides so many opportunities and the girls visiting us demonstrated their motivation and eagerness to continue their own journeys into the sector. I’m confident they can go on to enjoy exciting and fulfilling careers in the future. Congratulations to our deserving scholarship winners this year!”
Keira Leigh Anderson, from Glenrothes, said:
"I am incredibly grateful to win this award, I have made my family very proud. This will benefit me by helping to pay for further education and anything I may need to help with this such as any technical appliances I may need."
Aimee McKee, from Leven, said:
"I am overjoyed with this award, and I look forward to continuing the course. I'm very grateful to be lucky enough to receive the Shell UK Girls into Energy Scholarship.
“It was empowering to see other women in a male-dominated industry during our visit to Mossmorran. It made me excited for the future."
Charley Deas, from Kennoway, said:
"I am very happy with the scholarship I won. It means so much to me and it will go a long way towards my future of education. I will spend a percentage of the money on driving lessons to get me to and from university and the money will also go towards textbooks and supplies that I may need."
Jenna Walsh, from Lochgelly, said:
"I feel ecstatic and privileged to have been awarded this money, as this will help me achieve a better education and supplies for university. I would also like to thank Shell for this opportunity, as now I’m one step closer to achieving my dream of becoming an engineer. This course and this scholarship have made this journey easier."
"It was also very inspiring when talking to the women that work with Shell, it showed me that anything was possible and gender was not a barrier when working as an engineer."
The Shell UK 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 the last few years with over 20 students from High Schools around Fife, aged 14 to 16, taking part this year.
The Shell UK Girls in Energy course is part of a wider range of initiatives which Shell UK and Fife College are working on together to help reduce the gender imbalance in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) related subjects and to support and encourage more people into the energy industry.
Alongside the Shell UK Girls into Energy Scholarship, Shell UK also support a further scholarship which benefits students studying engineering courses at Fife College.
Lyn Gold, Scholarship and Alumni Engagement Lead at Fife College, said:
“Congratulations to Keira Leigh, Emily, Aimee, Charley and Jenna, they are all deserving winners of this year’s Shell UK Girls into Energy Scholarship awards.
“Receiving these awards will provide a welcome financial boost for them while having a global company like Shell UK on their CVs will also really help them stand out from the crowd when they look to take their next steps.
“Shell UK have been amazing supporters of our scholarship programme, as well as many other activities across the College, for more than a decade now. We are extremely grateful for their continued support which has provided so many fantastic opportunities for our students, helping set them on the path towards promising future careers.”
Full list of Shell UK Girls into Energy Scholarships 2023 winners:
- Keira Leigh Anderson from Glenrothes
- Emily Somerville from Kirkcaldy
- Aimee McKeen from Leven
- Charley Deas from Kennoway
- Jenna Walsh from Lochgelly
Adam Smith Scholarships, part of Fife College, is one of the largest college scholarship programmes in Scotland, awarding thousands of pounds each year to support students, develop opportunities, open doors, and transform lives.
For further details about scholarships at Fife College visit the Adam Smith Scholarships page or email scholarships@fife.ac.uk.