Jessica Whitford
MEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering with Placement Year
Mentor: Pete Barnard-Taylor, Regional Director at Atkins Ltd.
Jessica’s passion for engineering began at the age of 13, when she set up her own one-person 3D design club during school lunchtimes. “Even when the teacher didn’t show up, I did,” she laughs. “That’s how much I loved it.” Teaching herself software through YouTube tutorials, she soon discovered a world of possibilities; from Formula 1 to biomedical engineering and advanced manufacturing.
Before starting university, Jessica was concerned about the financial challenges of higher education and the impact they might have on her studies.
“Before starting university, I was really worried about my finances,” she explains. “I was planning on staying home to be close to my family and knew that commuting for over an hour to university, a full-time degree and a part-time job would be incredibly difficult to manage.”
Receiving support through the Tamar Engineering Project enabled Jessica to focus fully on her studies and embrace the wider opportunities university life has to offer.
“I am so grateful to receive the Tamar Engineering Project, which has allowed me to dedicate my time solely to pursuing my degree in Mechanical Engineering. Thanks to this bursary, I was able to join societies and make the most of my time at university.”
A key part of Jessica's experience has been her mentoring relationship with Pete Barnard-Taylor, Regional Technical Director at Atkins. Having first been matched during a previous academic year, Jessica has chosen to continue the relationship and has found the ongoing support invaluable.
Through this connection, she has benefitted from guidance on career development, industry insight and work experience opportunities that have strengthened her professional skills and confidence.
One of Jessica's ambitions when she began her degree was to secure a year-long industrial placement. Competition for placement opportunities is intense, but the financial and mentoring support provided through the Tamar Engineering Project helped her dedicate the time needed to prepare strong applications and develop as a candidate.
“One of my goals when starting my degree was to obtain a year-long work placement, which I was able to achieve and will start this year,” Jessica says. “Placements are highly competitive, and the support Tamar gave me allowed me to spend the necessary time making myself the best candidate I could be and submitting applications.”
She is clear about the role her mentor played in this achievement.
“Without the support of the mentor assigned to me by the TEP, I definitely would not have been successful.”
The combination of financial assistance, industry mentoring and practical experience has helped Jessica make the most of her time at Plymouth while preparing for a successful future career.
Looking ahead, she is excited about the many opportunities available within the engineering profession.
“Engineering is my absolute passion, and studying it at university has only increased how many pathways I know are available to me when I leave. I am passionate about biomedical engineering and hope to pursue this as a career when I graduate.”
A big thank you
Jessica would like to express her gratitude to the donors whose generosity makes the Tamar Engineering Project possible:
“The Tamar Engineering Project has had an overwhelmingly positive impact on my life and on my ability to obtain the most from my university experience. I am so grateful to the donors who make the project possible. Without it, my degree would be much more difficult, and I would not have been able to maintain the high academic standard I have been able to achieve.”
