James became one of the Trust’s scholars at the start of the 2020 academic year. The pandemic means we’re yet to meet him in person but we are pleased to welcome him into the Rochester Bridge Trust Arkwright Engineering Scholars family.
I’m studying towards A-levels in maths, physics and design, technology and engineering at Tonbridge School. For the future, I am considering applying to study a general engineering course so that I can spend a year learning about the different fields before I commit to a specialist area.
I am currently designing a fold-away desk that is wall-mounted and can be adjusted in height. It is a great solution to current working from home problems and I will be making it as part of my DT A-level course. I am enjoying this challenge because there are many different functions of the product to consider and there are lots of problems that need to be overcome before the final product is completed.
I am attracted to the problem-solving element of engineering because I like seeing a problem and thinking about how I could work to solve it and what can be improved. I believe engineers have a great influence on how things change in the world and they can really make a difference. I believe I will make a good engineer because I am inquisitive and love creating things, I like knowing how things work, problem-solving and working out the best possible solution.
In 2020, as part of my DT A-Level, my school ran a competition in collaboration with Huawei to design a product for their next generation of smart products. I designed and made a model of a speaker that uses wireless technology to smart charge your devices, this idea won the competition, and I received some excellent feedback from Huawei.
I love my school subjects because they challenge me and complement each other really well. The DT style of learning is a huge contrast to the work I do in maths and physics, it allows me to be creative and practical as well as academic. My Extended Project Qualification is looking towards the future of engineering and architecture, where I am exploring net-zero carbon houses, how they work, and how to make them more efficient.
Away from my studies I love travelling, climbing, cycling, wood-turning, going for countryside walks and generally spending time outside.