ALTON College engineering student Andrew Holland secured a prestigious Sonardyne Foundation Scholarship plus distinction grades in his BTEC extended diploma in engineering this summer.

And this autumn he starts at the University of York studying electronic engineering with his tuition fees paid for and the offer of a job on successful completion of his degree.

Andrew, who went to Amery Hill School, is one of only two successful candidates this year to be awarded the Sonardyne Foundation Scholarship. The Foundation is part of Sonardyne International Ltd, a Hampshire-based company and the namesake to Alton College’s state-of-the-art engineering and design centre.

This year, as part of his BTEC extended diploma in engineering, Andrew completed a student placement with Sonardyne during which he was set a task to auto slip the clutch on one of the company boats.

On receiving the scholarship, Andrew said: “As part of my course the college helped me secure a work experience placement at Sonardyne in October last year. I heard about the possible sponsorship opportunity though the Sonardyne Foundation. I was already looking at electronic engineering degree courses and had decided that I would like to go to York University as it has an excellent reputation and, on visiting it, it seemed a great place to study.”

He explained: “I applied for the sponsorship and heard in June that the Sonardyne Foundation were willing to pay for my university tuition fees, and offer a possible industrial placement year and a job on successful completion of my degree course.

“I feel incredibly lucky to have this opportunity, as it gives me a fantastic first step in my career, and I will not end up with the debt that other students will have. It will make a huge difference to my life.”