Dogger Bank Wind Farm Scholarship Programme re-opens to students
- The scholarship fund supports students undertaking courses focussed on science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM)
- The programme has now re-opened to applicants across South Tyneside, Redcar and Cleveland and East Riding of Yorkshire.
- 62 scholarships are available overall during the construction of the wind farm, with 25 allocated earlier this year, as part of a wider £1 million investment in local communities.
The remaining 37 scholarships of £5,000 from Dogger Bank Wind Farm will once again be available to support the cost of further education and help young people prepare for working life in a Net Zero world.
The scholarship fund provides grants to local students undertaking science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) courses in further education. The grants provided at the start of the year were part of the first round of the scholarship fund, with a total of 62 scholarships being awarded during the world’s largest wind farm’s construction phase. The scholarships are to help students with the cost of tuition fees.
Students who received the first scholarships are undertaking a wide range of STEM courses such as flood management and cyber security. The role of the NHS during the pandemic clearly inspired young people, with six scholars undertaking medical related degrees. There was also clearly a focus on the climate emergency with five students undertaking degrees to prepare them for careers in this field.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm is proud to play a small role in helping future doctors, scientists and engineers unlock their potential.
Ethan Young (21) is from Redcar and is studying Mechanical Engineering at Teesside University. A former Middlesbrough College Apprentice, he said:
“Teesside is rich in engineering history, and it is something I have always been interested in. You can change the future by the way you design and develop new technologies. I think the financial support provided by the wind farm is really immense as it allows you to fully focus your time on your studies rather than have the burden of financial worries associated with university.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm recognises the education of young people has been impacted by the pandemic and is committed to supporting the green recovery by helping the next generation to gain the jobs of the future.
The scholarship fund focuses on the areas of East Riding of Yorkshire, and Redcar and Cleveland, where the windfarm connects to the National Grid, as well as South Tyneside, where the Operation and Maintenance Base will be located.
Joshua Moore (19), from South Shields is studying Chemical Engineering at the University of Manchester. Joshua previously studied at Harton Sixth Form College. He said:
“This scholarship has helped me with my studies as it helps give me some peace of mind when it comes to repaying my student loans, allowing me to focus wholly on my studies.”
Ruby Franklin (19), from Swanland in East Riding of Yorkshire is studying Engineering at the University of Sheffield. The former South Hunsley School and Sixth Form College student, said:
“This scholarship has helped me with financial concerns so that I can focus fully on my studies whilst also inspiring me about renewable energy in my local area.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be located more than 130 km off the Yorkshire coast and will generate enough renewable energy to power six million UK homes. A joint venture between SSE Renewables, Equinor and Eni Plenitude, SSE Renewables is leading on Dogger Bank construction and delivery while Equinor will operate the wind farm on completion.
In June 2021, Dogger Bank Wind Farm unveiled plans for a £1 million construction fund to support the coastal communities where its onshore infrastructure is being developed. The programme includes a significant investment in science, technology, engineering, and maths, as well as an operators fund to support local causes. Further information is available at www.doggerbank.com/about/community/
Lindsay Dougan, Community Investment Manager for Dogger Bank Wind Farm, said:
“Dogger Bank Wind Farm is delighted to support young people to undertake STEM degrees. We are building the world’s largest offshore windfarm and we are proud it is also helping improve STEM attainment in local communities.”
The second round of the scholarship fund is open for applications from students in the three coastal communities across the north and north-east of England until 1 September 2022.
Further details on the scholarship fund and the community investment from the wind farm can be found here.
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Picture caption: The scholarship fund will support students studying science, technology, engineering, and maths, to help prepare them for the highly skilled jobs in a net zero world.