Students praised for summer projects

Run by the Department of Economic Development the STEP programme is now in its 19th year.

STEP once stood for the Shell Technology Enterprise Programme but even though the oil company no longer sponsors it, organisers like the acronym so much they’ve kept with it.

This year has seen students signing up to a record number of projects in order to help develop their career opportunities and work experience.

Students presented their work to a panel of judges, hosts and peers before the winners were decided for each of the awards available.

The award for most enterprising student 2017 went to Jak Morris for his project on calculating the amount of silver used within different Strix control products, including collating test results and identifying correlations between endurance life and the amount of silver used.

Laurence Skelly MHK, Minister for Economic Development, presented the awards and said: ’Congratulations to the students of this year’s STEP Programme.

’I am impressed every year by the volume of effort and potential the students show through their projects and it’s great to hear positive feedback coming back from the Industry hosts. The 2017 STEP awards have showcased the great quality of our upcoming workforce and the continuing support from local industry.’

This year, the STEP Programme saw 45 students undertake projects at 23 organisations from within the public and private sector.

Five other winners were also awarded:

Alfie Leach - Most Enterprising Student Runner-up

Adam Cowin - Best Presentation

Fay Wilcox - Best Presentation Runner-up

Ben Awkal - Judges’ Commendation

Roisin Thornton - Judges’ Commendation

Chris Till, chief executive officer of Standard Bank Isle of Man, which sponsors the event, said: ’Having sponsored the STEP Programme for 3 years now, we view it as a valuable contribution by the bank to the development of the young people of the Isle of Man and it is great to see the programme grow into what it is today.

’We are proud to support the STEP project and I would like to thank and congratulate everyone who took part. It is by developing and strengthening links between young people and business that we will attract the next generation of leaders and secure the future of the island.

’We took part in the programme by providing a placement for a student to undertake a specific project in the bank and their contribution is hugely appreciated.’

Ian Moncrief-Scott, co-ordinator of the STEP Programme on the Isle of Man, added: ’Thank you to all those involved this year in what has been the biggest STEP Programme so far. It’s great to see that there is still a strong interest from both organisations and students. We hope that next year’s programme will be even bigger and better!’

Most enterprising student Jak Morris with minister Laurence Skelly MHK

The STEP award winners with minister Laurence Skelly MHK

The STEP Students

This article was published by iomtoday.