Renishaw engineer receives Barnes Waldron Best Student Award

Tom Silvey studied mechanical engineering at the University of South Wales and graduated with a First Class degree in 2016.

Every year, the Barnes Waldron award is handed out to an outstanding undergraduate student who is an affiliate member of the IMechE and is studying towards an IMechE accredited degree.

Tom, who has been employed by Renishaw for the past five years, is no stranger to academic awards. In 2012, he won Outstanding Apprentice of the Year in Gloucestershire's Apprenticeships Awards for completing major design projects within Renishaw.

"Graduating with a First in Mechanical Engineering is a huge achievement for me, especially because I completed my studies while working," said Tom. "Attending university on a full-time basis didn't seem right for me. When Renishaw presented me with the opportunity to work alongside my studies, I knew this was the best fit for me. The company not only funded my degree, but also gave me all the time I needed to complete university projects.

"Renishaw employees are given so many opportunities — studying is just one of them. While working for Renishaw, I've also worked on a selection of groundbreaking engineering projects overseas."

This is not the first time a Renishaw apprentice has been highly commended by an industry trade body. In 2014, the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) awarded Renishaw's Senior Development Engineer, Lucy Ackland its Women's Engineering Society Prize for her work in additive manufacturing and STEM engagement, during the Young Woman Engineer of the Year awards ceremony.