Winning The Telegraph STEM Awards 2015

During my industrial placement year at university I was working on a site that had a piling (construction groundwork) subcontractor, which meant that there was very limited work for me to do. On our Blackboard community site a lecturer had put up a post about The Telegraph STEM Awards 2015. I therefore decided to set about answering a brief set by Atkins Global in ‘how to create a person-less construction site’.

My idea, for diggers with remotely-operated cameras on their arms to increase workplace safety, came about while undertaking ‘red zone training’ which educates on where to stand and how to act around excavators in order to minimise accidents on site. From being shortlisted I then went to present my idea to the managing director and other senior members at Atkins. I won the construction round then had to present for the CEO of Babcock International, the technology editor of The Telegraph and Rachel Riley from Channel 4’s Countdown.

During the final ceremony I found out that I was chosen as the overall winner! I would consider this as by far my life’s greatest achievement, as I proved to myself that I could present not only at university level but also at a highly professional, industry level.

As a woman in the construction industry, being able to prove myself as the winner of these awards makes me truly proud, to think that even one person would look at my story and be inspired to consider a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) career.

Words can’t really explain how much these awards have truly changed the trajectory of my career; my career options have increased, I’ve been interviewed for national and regional newspapers, I’ve been speaking at conferences, promoting STEM careers and preparing to file for a patent and start up my own business! There are no reasons why any student shouldn’t enter The Telegraph STEM Awards 2016 – we need a winner from LJMU two years in a row!

The Telegraph STEM Awards 2016 are launching at LJMU during the week commencing 11 January – the Faculty of Engineering and Technology will be in Byrom Street reception with a promotional stand during the mornings of Wednesday 13 and Friday 15 January. Abbie will be at the stand on the Friday morning, ready to answer questions about the competition and give encouragement.