John Penny Award 2019 Winner: Isobel Henriques

Penny Hydraulics continues its links with Sheffield Hallam University to promote skills such as Mechanical Engineering in the region. The John Penny Prize is awarded to the student who achieved the highest overall degree on the MEng Mechanical Engineering course and is in memory of Penny Hydraulics ex MD John Penny.

We caught up with this 2019′ winner Isobel Henriques to find out more about her path to a career in engineering and her plans for the future:

Tell us a bit about yourself: Why Engineering? 

“As an inquisitive person, I have always loved to know how things work. At school, I enjoyed studying the Sciences and Maths but Art was also a passion of mine. Engineering was the perfect amalgamation of all of this, combining academia, practical work and creativity. Engineering also lies at the centre of technology, providing the opportunity to make a difference and making it a very exciting place to be.”

What have you been up to since graduating? 

“Since graduating, I took some time out to go travelling through Vietnam. This was an incredible experience and a much-needed change of pace from university life. I have now started a Research and Development Engineering Graduate Scheme, with Caterpillar’s subsidiary Perkins Engines. I will be rotating through the company for the next 2 years, to further develop the skills I gained over my time university, before forging a career in my chosen area.”

What are your plans for the future? 

“Looking towards the future, I would like to establish a career within an R&D engineering role, to utilise the knowledge and skills I have gained over the course of my degree.”

Can you share a few words about what it means to win the John Penny Award?

“It is a privilege to be the recipient of the John Penny Award. My route to achieving a Masters in Mechanical Engineering was not the most direct. It is therefore extremely rewarding to know that there are no limits to your success with hard work and that there are companies, like Penny Hydraulics, who recognise this and champion the future generation of engineers. It was a pleasure to meet Mr Tim Penny, to learn of his family’s engineering heritage, and I am very grateful to Penny Hydraulics for their generous award.”

Congratulations Isobel, on behalf of everyone at Penny Hydraulics we wish you the very best of success in your future career!