2021
STUDENT OF THE YEAR
WINNER :
ELISH
CHAMBERS
( GLAXOSMITHKLINE )
Sponsored by Learning Curve Group
She is often the only girl in the room in a male-dominated sector . Chemical engineering graduate Elish Chambers , 22 , is is on an industrial placement with pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline , where she helped identify operational improvements and led on projects which will save the company a projected £ 1m per annum .
She ’ s also industrial placement lead for GSK , helping others see where their degree could take them .
And according to Teesside born-andraised Elish , there ’ s no place like home for girls to forge a career .
She said : “ The more you go up the more you realise that sometimes you ’ re the only girl in the room . But I think that ’ s a really positive thing for businesses because we bring a different perspective as a female . And I think sometimes we just get more done !
“ I ’ ve never felt I ’ ve had a ceiling being from Teesside . You ’ re in a privileged position being an engineer and from Teesside because you ’ re surrounded by industry . Lots of people see it as an eyesore but I think we ’ re in a privileged position and I ’ ve never seen gender as a limiting factor .
“ The Teesside accent sometimes brings with it a certain connotation but being a chemical engineer , you couldn ’ t be born in a better place .”
Global ambassador for her university and a true ambassador for women in engineering , Elish has also represented her club and region at national events and she volunteers for the Daisy Chain charity for children on the autism spectrum .
Award – Elish Chambers ( left ) is given the first Student of the Year award from Nicole Bewley of category sponsors Learning Curve Group .
FINALIST : FINALIST :
JULIE MCKAY
( TEESSIDE UNIVERSITY )
A student in global leadership and management in healthcare ( senior leader apprenticeship ) in the School of Health and Life Sciences at Teesside University , Julie began her career in 1989 , qualifying as a registered general nurse three years later .
By 1995 she was working as a grade six midwife across three different NHS trusts and continues to work at Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust while studying .
An exemplary student , Julie has achieved exceptionally high grades and has implemented a change which has benefited the service economically , as well as improving efficiency and user satisfaction levels .
The success has been shared regionally and nationally and underlines Julie ’ s dedication to the service she loves .
TALLY WALTON ( ITS )
Tally is currently studying her Level 3 infrastructure technician apprenticeship at Middlesbrough-based ITS .
Starting during the second lockdown , the 21-year-old quickly demonstrated a flexibility and dedication to the company which helped ensure services were uninterrupted .
The only female in her team , Tally ’ s desire to learn had a positive impact on everyone .
As part of her apprenticeship , she gained her level 3 coding and logic exam with a 95 per cent pass rate and recently sat her City and Guilds network and architecture exam .
Tally is now the go-to person in the ITS IT department and an inspiration to a future generation of young girls .
SPONSOR ’ S MESSAGE
Nicola Bewley , director of skills at Learning Curve Group , said : “ It was fantastic to be at the Tees Businesswoman Awards and be surrounded by so many inspirational women who have a huge impact on Teesside . We were delighted to sponsor the Student of the Year category to celebrate the achievements of learners in our region . We were blown away by the standard of the nominations , and we believe all of them are on the road to becoming successful businesswomen . Learning Curve Group would like to send huge congratulations to the winner of Student of the Year , Elish Chambers , and all of the night ’ s winners .”