UHI North Highland student wins engineering excellence prize

Liam Elder, 28, from Thurso studied BEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering at UHI North Highland and was the recipient of the annual prestigious award.

The prize for engineering excellence award, donated by Willie Printie, is awarded annually in recognition of academic excellence in engineering at degree level.

Winners are selected from graduating engineering students from across the UHI partnership who began their studies as apprentices and progressed on to further and higher education.

On accepting his award, Liam said: “I am delighted to win this award. I have a lot to thank UHI for, having first starting my engineering journey at UHI North Highland by completing a college link engineering course while still at school.”

“This ultimately gave me the necessary experience which helped me gain an apprenticeship and study for my national certificate all the way through to now graduating with a degree in electrical and electronic engineering.”

Commenting on Liam’s achievements, Willie Printie said: “The UHI engineering faculty spoke of Liam’s significant success, both at Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd and at UHI, and were delighted with their decision to award him the annual engineering excellence prize.

“Liam epitomises exactly my thinking behind this annual award – starting his career as an apprentice, excelling at both further and higher levels of education, and graduating at degree level in engineering through UHI.

“Dr Peter Hylton, mechanical engineering curriculum leader at UHI North Highland, said that Liam’s route to achieving a BEng in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, whilst holding down a full-time job, was exemplary.

“The dedication to his studies and completing his degree with distinction, whilst employed full-time, is exceptional and truly deserving of the 2022 Engineering Excellence Prize.”