A teenager from Tulse Hill who won a place on a highly competitive Oxford University programme that aims to improve access to engineering says she’s been inspired to follow her dreams of forging a career in the subject.
Year 10 City Heights E-ACT Academy student Aishah applied for Oxford University’s Uncover Engineering programme on the advice and guidance of her maths teacher, and was shocked to discover she had secured one of the coveted places from the hundreds of applicants.
Uncover Engineering is a four-day residential programme aimed at girls and Black African and Caribbean heritage year 10 students which gives them an opportunity to explore STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects, whilst also providing a glimpse into life at a top university.
Around 30 girls from across the UK who demonstrated a passion for engineering and problem solving, and are expected to get at least six GCSEs graded 7-9 including maths, science and English, were chosen for the programme.
Aishah travelled to Oxford last month with her teacher Alecia Watson, where she stayed at St Hugh’s college and enjoyed four-days of carefully curated activities, including tours of the relevant university departments, a visit to a recycling and waste management facility, talks from women working in engineering, and various workshops involving computer-aided design, robotics, coding and drones.
Aishah said: “Arriving at Oxford and having my own room in St Hugh’s college was amazing! It was like being in a Harry Potter movie or a palace!
“The tasks we had to do in the workshops were really interesting. We used computer-aided design to 3D print our own keyrings, and worked with drones. The drones task was the most fun and we got them doing back flips! The robotics one was probably the hardest – we had to use all our problem-solving skills to develop code to control a light sensored robot.
“The visit to the recycling company was fascinating, and it was brilliant to hear from women who worked in different fields in engineering. It made me see it’s possible for girls like me to have successful careers in STEM. Engineering’s often seen as something for men but this made me think that maybe we can change that for the next generation.
“As well as the engineering, we did a communication workshop that I found really valuable. It’s helped lots with my confidence and it’s made me think I need to keep jumping at opportunities.
“When it comes to careers, the programme opened my eyes to the different options, like coding and robotics. I’m now considering a career in perhaps software engineering and robotics, or maybe mechanical or electrical engineering.
“I loved my time in Oxford and now I’ve been there and experienced it for myself, I think it could be a place for me to study.”
Alecia Watson, Director of Maths and Associate Assistant Headteacher at City Heights E-ACT Academy, added: “This is such a valuable and important programme, and has introduced Aishah to a world of possibilities. She’s a hardworking, dedicated student who achieves brilliantly in class, and it has been wonderful to see her confidence in her abilities grow as a result of the Uncover Engineering programme. She is certainly capable of studying a STEM subject at any leading university and we’re all excited to see what the future might hold for Aishah.
“At City Heights, we believe there should be no limits to our ambitions for our students. We want all our students to enjoy exciting, inspiring experiences that encourage them to aim high, and we are working hard at offering a range of opportunities. By showing our young people, despite their background, what’s possible, we can ensure they have every incentive to succeed.”
Oxford University’s Uncover Engineering programme runs in April each year and is fully funded by the university.
