THREE students from North West Regional College’s (NWRC) Greystone Campus in Limavady are enjoying international placements this summer.
They won the honour following their success in CollegesNI’s BEST awards competition.
Lee McElhinney, David Whiteside and Graham Grieves are second year students on the college’s Level 3 Diploma in engineering programme, and as a result of winning a special science and engineering award during the competition they are now preparing for all-expenses-paid placement experiences.
Lee and David will travel to the City of Worcester in Massachusetts, USA, for a two-week stay at the local Polytechnic Institute, where they will take part in a range of science and engineering projects aimed at boosting their practical skills, while also enjoying some social events including an exclusive boat trip to the nearby City of Boston.
Meanwhile, fellow classmate Graham flew to Southampton recently to attend the world-famous Farnborough for the Air Show for his all-expenses paid trip.
The BEST awards competition is run by CollegesNI to acknowledge the best in up-and-coming skills talent in science, technology, engineering and maths across Northern Ireland.
The NWRC trio were winners of the SEMTA sponsored science and engineering award for their automated calf-meal feeder project, work on which began last September, firstly designing the feeding station for a single calf, then purchasing the electronic weighbridge, steelwork and associated equipment.
The students were able to demonstrate that the feeding station has the potential to save a farmer up to £70 in meal for each calf on the farm.
College lecturer John Pollock said: “These placement opportunities are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for David, Lee and Graham, and are rewards for their hard-work and endeavours.
“They are humble young men with the world at their feet, and who continue to display the qualities and skills which are required to succeed in the science and engineering industry. I wish them well with these exciting placements.”
On his return, Lee is planning to undertake a degree at Harper Adams University, while David and Graham intend to progress their studies in agricultural engineering.