ECITB scholarships

ECITB’s Engineering Construction Industry scholarships are designed to equip the next generation of engineers with the skills for net zero and beyond.

The purpose of the Scholarship is to provide a sustainable pipeline of new talent for industry by providing a grounding in the industrial knowledge and skills that are in demand.

The ECITB has established centres in all the major Industrial ‘hot spot’ areas across England, Scotland and Wales with the most northerly centre being on Shetland Island.

Wind Turbine Technician Scholars at NESCol

Wind Turbine Technician scholars learning at NESCol

The programme aims to accelerate learners into apprenticeships or other forms of employment by providing them with training against some of the necessary components of an apprenticeship, off the job in an approved centre.

Learners receive a weekly learner allowance and, on successful completion of the programme, they have industry-standard qualifications and relevant site passports as well as invaluable on-site industry experience coupled with a clear understanding of what is expected of them when they enter industry – all of which definitely enhances their employment prospects.

And for employers, it is an excellent opportunity to engage with the programme to identify talent, get to know the learners and recruit a young person who has had the requisite training to be either fast-tracked into an apprenticeship or recruited as a direct site hire.

Careers guide showing man monitoring wind turbines on cover

Scholar voices

Aiyana Sood completed a Level 3 Design and Draughting scholarship at Harrow, Richmond & Uxbridge College (previously called Richmond upon Thames College).

She particularly liked the mixture of different elements on the programme. “I am so glad I chose this course. It has more units than the vocational course and involves a lot of practical work.”

Aiyana knew from a young age that she wanted to be an engineer.  She said: “I thought I would be the only woman in my class but there’s actually quite a few of us. It is nice to know there are other women out there who want to be engineers.”

She encourages other women who are considering engineering as a career path.  She said: “Do what you want to do. Go for what you are passionate about.”

Her scholarship led to her being accepted onto a Level 4 HNC in Mechanical Engineering with Subsea7.

Aiyana Sood, Subsea7

Bryn Acland completed the ECITB scholarship Level 3 Design and Draughting engineering scholarship at Harrow, Richmond & Uxbridge College (previously called Richmond upon Thames College).

He explained the programme included both electrical and mechanical while mainly focusing on design and draughting: “It integrates the knowledge and skills we learn into a vocational qualification.”

It enabled him to go straight onto a Level 4 HNC in Mechanical Engineering with Expo Technologies. He said: “Doing the ECITB scholarship massively helped me to get this.  I was recommended to the company by my tutor and was given an interview.  It probably would not have happened if I hadn’t been part of the ECITB scholarship course.”

He recommends the scholarship programme to others.  He said: “You learn all sorts of knowledge and skills in many areas of engineering and it’s a good way to begin a career in this field.”

Bryn Acland, Expo Technologies

ECITB Scholars by location, discipline and provider

Centre Centre Location ECITB Contact Email Cohort year Discipline Level Completion Date
University of Highlands and Islands Shetland  Martin.Barton@ecitb.org.uk 2023 Mechanical 2 Jul-24
North East Scotland College Scotland North-East – Aberdeen Martin.Barton@ecitb.org.uk 2022 Wind Turbine Technician 3 Jul-24
2023 Wind Turbine Technician 3 Jul-25
2024 Wind Turbine Technician 3 Jul-26
Forth Valley College Scotland Central Belt – Falkirk Ashley.Thompson@ecitb.org.uk 2023 Mechanical 2 Jul-24
2023 Pipefitting/Plating & Welding 2 Jul-24
2024 Pipefitting/Plating & Welding 2 Jul-25
NETA North-East – Teesside Martin.Barton@ecitb.org.uk 2022 Energy Transfer 3 Jul-24
2022 Industrial Weld 3 Feb-24
2023 Plating/Welding 2 Jul-24
Middlesbrough College North-East – Teesside Martin.Barton@ecitb.org.uk 2023 Pipefitting/Welding 2 Jul-24
Cheshire College South & West North-West – Ellesmere Port Martin.Barton@ecitb.org.uk 2023 Electrical 2 Jul-24
The Engineering College North-West – Birkenhead Ashley.Thompson@ecitb.org.uk 2023 Pipefitting/Welding 2 Jul-24
2024 Pipefitting/Welding 2 Jul-25
Lakes College North-West – Cumbria Martin.Barton@ecitb.org.uk 2023 Electrical 2 Jul-24
DN Colleges Group Yorkshire & Humber – Scunthorpe Ashley.Thompson@ecitb.org.uk 2022 Energy Transfer 3 Jul-24
2022 Wind Turbine Technician 3 Jul-24
East Coast College East Coast of England – Lowestoft Ashley.Thompson@ecitb.org.uk 2023 Mechanical 2 Jul-24
2024 Mechanical 2 Jul-25
Pembrokeshire College Wales – Pembroke Adrian.Wookey@ecitb.org.uk 2023 Pipefitting/Plating & Welding 2 Jul-24
2024 Fabrication/Welding 2 Jul-25
Harrow, Richmond & Uxbridge College London – Richmond Ashley.Thompson@ecitb.org.uk 2023 Design & Draughting 3 Jul-25
3 t Teesside Martin.Barton@ecitb.org.uk
Chris.Blanchard@ecitb.org.uk
2024 Rigging 2 Jul-25
CATCH Humberside Ashley.Thompson@ecitb.org.uk
Plessey.Black@ecitb.org.uk
2024 Pipefitting/Welding 2 Jul-25

For more information, please contact the relevant ECITB regional officer listed above.