Last updated 19:44, Thursday, 26 June 2008

A KESWICK School pupil plans to enter the Young Engineer for Britain competition after being highly commended in a national design contest.

Year 13 pupil Robbie Shimmin, 18, who lives in the town, submitted his A-level product design coursework in the Brunel University national Young Designer Competition and was one of only 20 finalists from 640 entrants. They displayed their projects and discussed their design with judges at the final in Dulwich College in London on Friday.

Robbie’s project looked into how making domestic wind turbines more efficient.

Robbie said the finals were a bit like the Dragon’s Den TV programme as he had to sell his project to seven judges, one of whom had been a Dragon’s Den contestant. He received one of three highly commended awards, together with a book on design and a cheque for £25.

Tim Mather, head of the technology department at Keswick School, said that Robbie’s work attracted grants and he has been asked to write an article for the Electronics Education Magazine.

He said: “The project has helped Robbie gain a place at Bristol University studying aeronautical engineering, where only 10 per cent of applicants get on to the course.”