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Fourth-year student awarded highly sought-after scholarship from engineering consultancy WSP
Samantha Glen, a student on Abertay’s Civil & Environmental Engineering programme, has received a scholarship from Canadian-based consultancy firm WSP, one of the world’s leading engineering professional services companies.
This achievement follows her performance during a work placement with the company in her third year, which led to her being retained and eventually awarded the scholarship.
Samantha’s success highlights Abertay's strong industry connections, particularly through its assessed term-time placements. This approach provides students with invaluable real-world experience, enhancing their employability and bridging the gap between academic learning and the workplace.
As part of the arrangement, Samantha is given a payment of £550 each academic term, and WSP commits to offering a future paid summer placement for the duration of her course and also the offer of a full-time graduate role upon graduation.
She attributes much of her success to the supportive environment at Abertay, noting that her placement was pivotal in shaping her career path.
Samantha said:
Before my placement, I wasn’t sure what kind of engineer I wanted to become. This experience was the best thing to happen for my career—it gave me direction and clarity about my future. The lecturers here are also really engaging, and they’ve inspired me to pursue a long-term career in engineering.
As a woman in a traditionally male-dominated industry, Samantha has faced challenges but remains determined.
She said:
I’ve often been one of only a few women in my classes, both in college and university. Unfortunately, I’ve encountered sexism, where some people have undermined me. At first, it bothered me, but I’ve learned to rise above it and remind myself that I deserve to be here and I’m capable of excelling in this field. There are definitely more opportunities for women in engineering these days, and the landscape is changing. I feel comfortable and confident going for a long-term career in engineering.
Neil Berwick, Module Leader for the BEng Civil & Environmental Engineering Placement Module said:
Samantha’s journey is a fantastic example of how Abertay’s strong links with industry provide students with the skills and opportunities needed to succeed in the ever-evolving field of civil engineering. Our approach provides students with invaluable real-world experience, enhancing their employability and bridging the gap between academic learning and the workplace.
Steve Byer, Group Director at WSP- UK said:
WSP have a long-standing relationship with Abertay University and Samantha is the latest in a series of placements from the Civil Engineering course that we have taken on to work in our Perth Office over many years now. Samantha learned a lot in her time with us but also developed into a valuable and productive member of our team, as her 12 week placement extended further into a summer job. We are delighted to now have her signed up on a scholarship agreement through which she can return to a placement role next summer, and will be offered a full-time role on Graduation.
Abertay was recently ranked the Top UK Modern University for Civil Engineering by The Good University Guide from The Times and Sunday Times 2025.
Find out more about Abertay’s Civil & Environmental Engineering courses
