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Jones Bros helps to spark passion for renewable energy in work experience student25th Sep 2013
Engineering student Alasdair has developed a passion for renewable energy after being given work experience on a wind farm construction by Jones Bros Civil Engineering.
Alasdair MacInnes was given the opportunity to gain hands-on work experience during construction of a 12-turbine wind farm in Argyll, Scotland.
The stint lead to a further work experience on a hydroelectric scheme on the remote island of Jura in Scotland, and resulted in Alasdair achieving a top grade in his university dissertation about tidal power possibilities in Scotland.
Now in his fifth and final year of a civil engineering degree at Glasgow University, Alasdair believes his work experience placements have been invaluable.
“The wind farm experience was incredibly helpful, “ said Alasdair whose family lives close to the wind farm site. “It was very interesting to see the huge foundation concrete pours before they are backfilled and hidden for good. I really appreciated the opportunity because other companies I had contacted didn’t even reply.”
Alasdair was able to see for himself the construction of the wind farm on the Ormsary and Stronachullin estates in Argyll, on land owned by James Lithgow of Ormsary, grandson of leading industrialist and shipbuilder Sir James Lithgow, who installed the first hydroelectric station at Ormsary in 1919.
The Lithgow family has recently developed a hydroelectric scheme on the island of Jura, and Alasdair was offered work experience on this project too, based on his efforts with Jones Bros.
“It turned out to be a very interesting and exciting summer and helped me to decide which aspect of civil engineering I’d like to concentrate on,” added Alasdair.
Jones Bros project manager James McColl, who guided Alasdair through his work experience, said: “We were really glad that Alasdair got in touch as we are always keen to forge close links with the communities in which we are working. He has proved to be a real asset and wish him every success in the future.”
Alasdair added: “This summer I took a slightly different tack and applied to companies which were more consultancy and design based to see what this side of the business is like and gained work experience with a marine civils company.”