A West Midlands engineering student is now considering a career in the rail industry after becoming the first student on the prestigious Arkwright Engineering Scholarship programme to receive direct mentorship from a UK rail operator.
Seventeen-year-old Samraj Ojelay, a student at Queen Mary’s Grammar School in Walsall, was sponsored by Avanti West Coast. As part of the programme, he spent a week with the operator’s engineering team, gaining first-hand experience in what it takes to maintain and improve trains.
For the duration of his two-year sponsorship, Samraj is being mentored by one of Avanti West Coast’s Fleet Engineers, Andrew Skinner.
A New Career Path
Samraj’s work experience included a visit to Alstom’s Midlands Traincare Centre in Wolverhampton, where he witnessed the extensive work involved in servicing Avanti West Coast’s fleet. He also met colleagues from different departments in Birmingham and London, giving him a broader understanding of the various roles available on the railway.
Speaking about his experience, Samraj said: “I’m really grateful to Avanti West Coast and Andrew for this incredible opportunity. I valued every second of my work experience and having a career in rail has now become something that I could see myself potentially doing in the future.”
He added: “I had never really thought about a career in rail, but through my work with Avanti West Coast and the valuable insights from Andrew, I gained a real appreciation for the large scale of their operation. I hadn’t considered nor appreciated the level of detail and planning that actually goes into keeping trains running on a day-to-day basis. Originally my career thinking was about getting into civil engineering, in particular the structural side of it; but now, thanks to my experiences with Avanti, I’m more into mechanical engineering and maybe even civil transportation.”
Avanti West Coast has been sponsoring around four Arkwright Engineering Scholars each year since 2022. The sponsorship includes financial support for studies, a week’s work experience, and access to a mentor.
Inspiring the Next Generation
Samraj’s mentor, Andrew Skinner, said: “Samraj is a passionate young engineering prospect who has an extremely bright future ahead of him, and it great to hear that he is now considering a career in rail after his time with Avanti West Coast. It is important for us to inspire future workforce generations and by mentoring a selection of Arkwright Scholarship students we are able to showcase the opportunities in rail available to those studying engineering.”
The Arkwright Engineering Scholarships, run by The Smallpeice Trust, are awarded to a select number of high-calibre students after a rigorous selection process. The programme aims to support students through their A-Levels and encourage them to pursue further education and careers in engineering, computing, or technical design.
Chris Byrne, Head of Community Programmes at The Smallpeice Trust, said: “We are incredibly proud to see the positive relationships that develop between Scholars like Samraj and sponsors like Avanti West Coast. The opportunities that organisations like Avanti offer to our Scholars are invaluable for helping them develop and find their way into the world of Engineering. It’s always rewarding to see that the impact goes both ways when Scholars like Samraj leave such a positive and lasting impression in return.”
