Alex F Noble & Son has funded a five-month scholarship to equip aspiring automotive engineer Jessica O’Leary with the skills to work on a new generation of electric vehicles.

An interest in EVs and a passion for automotive won the opportunity for 16-year-old O’Leary who is now set to benefit from the scholarship, which is funded by the Midlothian car dealer group and run by the Edinburgh College Development Trust.

O’Leary is currently studying towards her IMI Level 1 Transport Maintenance (Light Vehicle) Certificate at the college’s Midlothian Campus and is the first female student to have been selected to complete the programme.

She said: “Electric and hybrid vehicles are becoming more mainstream today because of the move to become more sustainable, so I was really keen on getting involved in something that will help to keep my learning up-to-date with what’s happening across the wider world”.

The EV scholarships are the result of a long-standing partnership between the college and Alex F Noble & Son, which includes the dealership providing regular placements for automotive engineering students.

Gordon Campbell, sales manager at Alex F Noble & Son Nissan, said: “We’re very proud of our long association with Edinburgh College and thrilled for Jessica in winning the first of this year’s two electric vehicle scholarships.

“Our Nissan Leaf all-electric vehicles are very much the future of motoring so it’s fitting that the new scholarships are helping the students of today become the highly skilled technicians of tomorrow.“

Throughout her time at the college so far, Jess has spent the majority of her time in the workshop and believes females should not be discouraged from entering the automotive industry.

She said: “I’ve loved cars for most of my life and I’m passionate about working in this industry. That’s what truly matters – it’s about being what you want to be and being happy. My ultimate goal is to work for a big-name organisation within the industry and to contribute to the development of their sustainability work – hopefully through hard work I can make it happen.”

Edinburgh College Engineering curriculum manager Ross Milligan said: “Jessica is a great student. Her enthusiasm for automotive engineering is clear to see and it’s fantastic that she’s been selected to complete this scholarship, which will complement her learning and contribute to her overall development. The standard of applications for the scholarship was very high and we look forward to seeing Jessica reaping the rewards of this training in the future.”