News Article
TALENTED teenage engineer Lindsey Dew has scooped a national award for her outstanding work to help improve safety in the booming oil and gas industry.
Lindsey developed a test rig to check for costly and potentially dangerous leakage of hydrogen and sulphide gas from high pressure valve seals while on a year’s work experience at engineering specialists BEL Valves in Newcastle.
She won the best engineering and science project at The Year in Industry Contribution to Business Awards during a glittering ceremony at the Institute of Civil Engineers in London.
She received a £500 prize and framed certificate. The award is a huge boost for Lindsey, 19, who is off to Cambridge University next month to study general engineering before embarking on an engineering career.
“I was shocked to win given the competition I was up against,” said Lindsey, of South Shields.
“I had to give a power point presentation to six judges and answer their questions - I was absolutely terrified but to win the award made it all worthwhile.”
Lindsey spent 12 months working for BEL Valves at their base in St Peter’s, Newcastle, as part of The Year In Industry programme.
Such was the success of her test rig that BEL Valves is now well placed to potentially win new orders for its valves over the next three years from customers keen to purchase its products - which will undergo stringent tests using helium gas to check for leaks in Lindsey’s specially constructed test rig.
“The Year in Industry programme has been excellent – I thought I may just be given menial tasks to do but instead I was given the chance to work on the test rig project with lots of support from BEL Valves,” said Lindsey.
The Year in Industry programme is a charity devoted to developing young people’s careers in engineering.
It offered Lindsey a one-year placement with BEL Valves after she left South Tyneside College with straight ‘A’ grades in ‘A’ Level Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and Physics.
She was the regional finalist at the London ceremony – up against nine of the brightest young engineering talents in the country.
David Robinson, regional director of The Year in Industry scheme, said: “Lindsey’s hard work and dedication has paid off and I’m sure she is destined for a successful career in engineering when she leaves Cambridge.”
Colin Herron, of the One North East-backed North East Productivity Alliance, which helps North East manufacturers boost their output through lean manufacturing techniques, sat on the judging panel which gave Lindsey the regional award that qualified her for the national final.
“Lindsey is an outstanding talent and a great advocate for the career opportunities that lie in engineering for young people in the North East,” he said.
Ends.
For further information please contact:
Gordon Arnott, Senior Press Officer, One North East.
Tel:(0191) 229 6309 Fax:(0191) 229 6234 Mobile: 07713 317883
e-mail: gordon.arnott@onenortheast.co.uk
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