Aberdeen graduate elected Whitworth Scholar

Petrofac, the international oil & gas facilities service provider, is pleased to announce that one of the UK’s most prestigious scholarships has been awarded to an Aberdeen-based instrument engineer from Petrofac’s Offshore Engineering & Operations business.

David Hurst was elected Whitworth Scholar at an engineering award ceremony in London yesterday. The instrument engineer joined Petrofac during a placement in 2007 and joined the company as a full-time employee in 2008. He continued with work placements at Petrofac throughout his degree at The Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, where he graduated with a MEng degree in Electronics and Communications. David was a mature student, having had a 22-year career with the Royal Air Force, serving throughout the world, and he was awarded the prestigious engineering Whitworth Scholarship Award whilst studying for his degree. The award financially supports engineering students who start their career as apprentices and progress to degree level.

To become a Whitworth Scholar, applicants must demonstrate their academic achievements and activities out-with university as well as their practical skills with a recognised apprenticeship, and must take an active interest in engineering. David will now become an ambassador for the Society, and will mentor and encourage young engineers to join the industry. He will also be entitled to use the designatory letters WhSch.

He commented: "I am honoured to be elected as a Whitworth Scholar. Sir Joseph Whitworth stated that an engineer who has practical abilities backed up with academic skills can be an important asset to an organisation. This has given me confidence and has been an inspiration to me during what has been a major change at the mid-point in my working life. It is reassuring that Petrofac recognises the importance of these skills and qualities and that two recent award-holders are now based within the business in Aberdeen."