Junior engineer wins Engineering and Technology Technician Award

Charlotte, 24 from Bridgend, Wales, is currently studying a BSc in Electrical and Electronic Engineering alongside her role as a Junior Electrical Instrumentation Control and Automation Engineer at Arcadis where she has co-authored the ‘Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations’ Explosion Protection Document and produced solutions for clean and wastewater projects, including a £40m waste-to-energy upgrade, converting sewage sludge gas to electricity.

Alongside this, Charlotte has also been the Safety, Health, and Environment lead for Arcadis’ water sector for Wales and Southwest England since 2019, where she is responsible for training scheduling, compliance and providing health and safety guidance.

Having been professionally registered as an Engineering Technician with the IET since 2018, Charlotte has published case studies with the Engineering Council, discussing the benefits of being professionally registered in the hope of inspiring others. Charlotte is passionate about promoting the opportunities available to those interested in engineering as shown by her dedication as a STEM ambassador and volunteering as a bilingual mentor to support disadvantaged young people.

On winning, Charlotte said: “I’m still in shock. All of the finalists have done amazing things within STEM so it must have been a difficult decision for the judges. I would like to thank my team at Arcadis. It has been great to be involved with so many different projects, including being the Safety, Health and Environment lead, while undertaking my BSc in Electrical and Electronic Engineering.”

The IET Achievement Awards exist to recognise individuals from all over the world who have made exceptional contributions to the advancement of engineering, technology and science in any sector. This can be through research and development in their respective technical field or through their leadership of an enterprise.

Professor Bob Cryan, IET President said: “Charlotte demonstrates engineering excellence throughout her work and studies, driving forward innovation and acting as a positive role model to others. The Technician Award is always an extremely strong category with some incredible finalists so Charlotte should be very proud to win this award, highlighting some incredible brilliant achievements in her career so far.”

“The standard of this year’s entries made choosing a winner extremely difficult and I’d like to commend the other finalists on their commitment to engineering and technology and for demonstrating passion and skills that go above and beyond their day-to-day roles. I wish all of them the best of luck for a rewarding engineering career ahead.”

The Achievement Awards are part of the IET’s Awards and Scholarships programme, which celebrate excellence and research in the sector and encourage the next generation of engineers and technicians. All IET awards seek to inspire and reward engineering excellence, including apprentices at the start of their careers, through to reputable, established professional engineers and technicians.