Eric Sirgo (right), General Manager Operations of Chevron Upstream Europe, tours upgraded facilities
Scholarships, course books and funding to refurbish teaching areas to the value £182,500 were presented by leading global energy company Chevron, at Heriot-Watt University's Edinburgh Campus, as part of the company's University Partnership Program (UPP).
University Partnership Program (UPP)
The program's aim is to create mutually beneficial partnerships to develop a world-class, globally mobile workforce to deliver tomorrow's energy through forming long-term, strategic relationships between Chevron and chosen universities. Heriot-Watt is one of 11 non-US universities to be involved in UPP and one of only two in Europe.
Now in its third year, Chevron's partnership with Heriot-Watt, reached a milestone this year with the graduation of the first cohort of Chevron scholars, two of whom have gained employment with the company as drilling engineers.
"Drive for people, partnership and performance"
The scholarship awards and a cheque were presented by Eric Sirgo, General Manager Operations of Chevron Upstream Europe.
Eric explained Chevron is one of the world's largest integrated energy companies and endeavours to be the company most admired for its people, saying: "Chevron operates in 130 countries, employing over 60,000 people and approaching $200 billion turnover. What a business like ours needs is top quality people.
"The Chevron University Partnership Program is part of our drive for people, partnership and performance. Technology drives our business, and this is a way for us, through good partnership, to support the students and the universities who are striving to the top in their fields."
Creating knowledge to meet practical needs
Professor Julian Jones, Vice-Principal of Heriot-Watt University added: "Heriot-Watt creates knowledge to meet practical needs. Partnerships work where each member has a good knowledge of the others' needs and shared values in fulfilling them. We welcome Chevron's support in helping us to produce top level graduates who in their turn will support the company and its industry."
After the presentation the group toured two newly refurbished teaching rooms in the departments of mechanical and chemical engineering that have been fitted out as part of the program - which has contributed nearly £500,000 of funding over the past three years.
2012 Chevron scholars
This year's Chevron scholars included seven undergraduates:
- Dominic Benstead, Mechanical Engineering
- Catrina Cassie, Mechanical Engineering
- Robin Foster, Chemical Engineering
- Craig Malclom, Mechanical Engineering
- Joss Peters, Mechanical Engineering
- Cameron Rennie, Chemical Engineering
- Michael Stewart, Mechanical Engineering
Two postgraduates:
- Rory Barbour, Petroleum Engineering
- Michael Mouat, Petroleum Engineering