A student from Andover is one of the first in the country to benefit from a new bursary aimed at getting those from underrepresented backgrounds into IT and engineering.

Robyn Greene is currently studying Computer Science at the University of Edinburgh, where she specialises in informatics – the study of computer systems and data storage. She is one of the first recipients of the Amazon Future Engineer bursary scheme, which gives her £5,000 a year to support her studies.

Robyn said that the money had made her university studies much more comfortable, and allowed her to follow her dream.

She said: “The biggest advantage of the bursary is that it has removed a lot of stress and worry about finances. I didn’t have to worry about needing to get a job to support my studies.

“I was able to pick a role at the university that I was passionate about and I was granted the freedom to take my studies and prospects where I wanted.”

The Amazon Future Engineer bursary scheme is a tie-up between the The Royal Academy of Engineering and the online retailer Amazon. Twelve awards, worth £5,000 a year for up to four years, are given to those from “social mobility cold spots” in the UK, and aim to improve the opportunities for young people in these areas.

Those awarded the bursary receive mentoring and support to help them succeed, as well as being able to attend specialist training weekends.

For Robyn, it’s a far cry from her time as a pupil in Andover, where she says she was unsure about what she wanted to do with her future.

“At school, I didn’t really know what I wanted my future or my career to look like,” she said. “While I was interested in computer science, I didn’t want to narrow my options down so early in my life.”

However, after finding the course in informatics at the University of Edinburgh, she said she was able to shape her future on the programme. She said that the bursary was the icing on the cake, allowing her to invest in vital university supplies.

Robyn said: “It was a really nice call to receive, and the bursary has helped to make my university life more comfortable. I bought myself a new computer, one that was able to keep up with me and my studies! I’ve also been able to afford all my course books. Being able to buy certain things is a huge benefit.

She said that she felt proud to be supported, saying: “It’s encouraging to be supported purely as a woman in tech, especially as we are so under-represented in the industry. Programmes like this give women confidence that they can pursue careers in tech.”

Women are still significantly underrepresented in engineering and technology in higher education, with 2020 UCAS data showing 16 per cent and 18 per cent of accepted applications to computing and engineering degrees respectively are for women. Movement towards gender parity is occurring, but at the current rate will take 64 years to achieve.

As one of the tech workers of tomorrow, Robyn is considering a career with her benefactor, though leaves the door open for a range of possibilities.

“I don’t want to make too many plans right now,” she said, “but working at Amazon seems like a great possibility for my career. With this bursary, I also have the opportunity to interview for an internship – so it’s exciting to see what doors will open in the future.”

Dr Hayaatun Sillem CBE, Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said: “The Academy and Amazon share an ambition to inspire and support young people to become the next generation of engineers, and I welcome the opportunity to work together in encouraging more women and girls from all backgrounds to take up careers in engineering and computing.

“We need a greater diversity of views and experiences working within these professions if we are to come up with effective solutions to the many challenges that society faces.”