The Old Pocklingtonian | Page 6

The Old Pocklingtonian Careers and Awards First Class Honours Congratulations to the following OPs who have recently gained 1st class honours. Their names will be put up on the honours boards in the Music School (Assembly Hall) as a lasting record of their achievement. Laura Baarda (03-10) BA (Hons) Interior Design Northumbria University Forrest Cheung (05-12) BSocSc (Hons) Psychology University of Hong Kong Jonathan Chu (08-12) BSc (Hons) Economics University of Warwick Phoebe Cowley (00-11) MPharm Manchester University Benjamin Dawes (01-10) BSc (Hons) Politics and International Relations Bath University Katie Donohue (01-12) BA (Hons) Theology and Religion University of Birmingham Edward Hetherton (00-05) BSc (Hons) Geophysics University College London Craig Meakin (06-10) MEng Product Design Engineering Glasgow University James Reckitt (10-12) Law LLB University of York Jonny Rowland (03-10) BSc (Hons) Agriculture University of Reading Lucy Rymer (09-11) BA (Hons) Architecture Leeds University James Tyson (01-09) BA (Hons) Business and Management Leeds Beckett University Gina Webster (98-09) MSci Natural Sciences Durham University Dan Williams (03-10) BSc (Hons) Integrated Mechanical and Electrical Engineering University of Bath 1st OP Careers Network The OP careers network continues to play an important part in supporting both the OP and the wider school community as well as providing the opportunity for OPs to give something back. Here are a few examples of how the OP network has helped both current and former pupils. Engineering Work Experience Day Earlier this year, the OP network helped upper sixth boarder and recent leaver Tom Fuller (0815) to secure a work experience day at transport consultancy Steer Davies Gleave in Leeds through OP Chris Hoskin (89-96). Tom and his parents got in contact with Chris to make the arrangements for the visit which took place during February half-term. Tom summarised his day: “After sorting out my work experience day at Steer Davies Gleave I travelled by train to Leeds and met up with Chris at his firm. Following introductions and a tour of the building I was given a briefing about a problem that Chris had seen with a piece of technology currently used to help prevent excessive damage after freight train derailments. He believed that there was a better way of doing the job and asked me to do research into the matter and present my ideas to him at the end of the day. I began by looking at the current system in place and reading about how it worked. After I fully understood the problem and the type of train that was the issue I set about looking for alternative solutions. After my day’s work I brainstormed some of my ideas with Chris and Felicity (from the Research and Innovation team) and looked at any problems with these ideas. I had a really productive day and learned loads about how an engineering firm works and the jobs that the engineers do. It was really good for me to see the kind of jobs an engineering degree leads to and start building a network for the future – I was even treated to some cake!” Ed Collinson (87-92) arranged a one-week engineering placement in June at Network Rail in York for a fifth year boarding pupil, Robert Smith. Robert wrote the following account of his week: On the first day I spent the majority of the time at George Stephenson H