A Ron Dearing UTC engineering student has secured an apprenticeship with a leading bespoke renewables company after setting her sights on a career in the industry.
Year 13 student Natalie Bamforth, 17, will begin her two-year design and specification apprenticeship at Hull-based Pure Renewables in July. Her role will include engineering design, construction design and build, and sales.
As part of a 22-strong team, she will complete heat loss calculations, assess solar panel requirements and more, helping to establish the most efficient solutions for domestic and commercial customers. She will also spend one day per week furthering her studies at East Riding College.
Natalie, who is currently studying Double Engineering and A-level Chemistry at Ron Dearing UTC, said she is looking forward to her apprenticeship and hopes it will be the first step on the ladder to a long and successful career in the industry.
She said: “This is such a great opportunity for me and I love that the apprenticeship incorporates design, as well as renewables, which is so important to me.
“I’m joining a great company and I’ll be able to progress and build on the knowledge I’ve gained at Ron Dearing UTC. They’ve helped me to progress to this point and given me so much support.”
As part of her studies at Ron Dearing UTC, Natalie completed an industry-standard project set by Ørsted, a renewable energy company which constructs and operates offshore wind farms across Europe and one of Ron Dearing UTC’s Major Partners.
Her work, which focused on engineering, the environment and climate change, contributed to the school being shortlisted as one of three entries in the Renewables Education category of the Humber Renewables Awards.
The online awards, which recognise and celebrate success in the renewables industry across both banks of the Humber, took place on March 4th.
Chris Whitelock, Managing Director at Pure Renewables, which designs, specifies and installs renewable heating systems, said: “We’re delighted that Natalie is joining the Pure Renewables team as a design and specification apprentice.
“Natalie was recommended to us by the Principal of Ron Dearing UTC as someone who had a real and genuine passion for working within the renewables sector and, having had her come in for a couple of orientation days, she’s certainly proved that to be the case.
“With its focus on preparing young people for working in the technical and commercial worlds, Ron Dearing UTC provides an excellent practical, as well as academic, curriculum which really sets them up for transitioning into the workplace.”
Glenn Jensen, Senior Assistant Principal for Employer Engagement and Head of Engineering at Ron Dearing UTC, said: “It’s fantastic that Natalie has been able to find employment in an area she is so passionate about and one which Ron Dearing UTC holds in such high regard.
“We want to generate future engineers who have an understanding about the environment, which is vital on the road to becoming carbon neutral. Through employer-led projects such as these, we can ensure our students have great knowledge of this important issue.”