Budding engineers and best friends studying in Wigan scoop top award

Moneka Duffy and Mollie German are final-year students in BEng (Hons) mechanical and manufacturing engineering at the University Centre at Wigan and Leigh College and were given the Sellafield Ltd Degree Apprentice of the Year.

They were chosen from nominations from all sections of the degree apprenticeship programme with Sellafield Ltd.

Moneka said: “I am proud of us both winning this award, I feel it really encourages and validates the hard work we have put into our early careers so far.”

Both Moneka and Mollie work as mechanical designers for the nuclear company at its Warrington site, alongside studying the nuclear scientist/engineer integrated degree apprenticeship on a part-time basis.

They are both big advocates for the degree apprenticeship route.

Mollie said: “Some of my friends who went down the university degree route still haven’t managed to get a job yet. The learning we do here reinforces knowledge needed for the workplace.”

Moneka added: “The integrated approach has given me sought-after skills that I can relate to the workplace and the teaching further helps with our dissertation work-based projects.”

The talented duo were chairman and co-chairman of the Risley Apprentice Council during their second year of studying.

They said their business and social impact contributed to receiving the award, along with gaining distinctions in all their units on the HND course at college.

Both women are aiming to become full-time design engineers at Sellafield Ltd once they have completed the final year of their course in June.

Mollie will then spend a year at sea, as she will be mobilised with the Royal Navy Reserves as a war sea specialist, while she also has ambitions to do a masters degree and would like to become a chartered engineer.

Moneka plans to continue her dynamic learning and explore her opportunities after completing her BEng.

She said: “I plan to gain a well-rounded perspective that will inform my future decisions and allow me to build a career I enjoy and equip me with the skills I need to obtain it.”