A driven and inspiring future marine engineer
Alfie Kent has earned the title Engineering Student of the Year through exceptional dedication, passion, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. As a Level 2 Marine Engineering student, Alfie consistently goes above and beyond, demonstrating a genuine enthusiasm for the subject and a determination to deepen his understanding of the marine industry.
A learner who always strives for more
Alfie’s curiosity and drive are evident in the way he approaches his studies. He regularly takes books home to expand his knowledge, independently researches systems and equipment, and actively seeks opportunities to broaden his technical understanding. His perfect attendance record and outstanding academic performance reflect a student who is fully committed to achieving the highest standards.
Despite managing a medical condition, Alfie has never allowed challenges to hinder his progress. His resilience, ambition, and focus shine through in everything he does; from aiming for top marks in every assessment to securing additional work experience to strengthen his industry insight.
One of his most notable achievements was a highly successful placement with the Metropolitan Police Marine Unit, where he was held in high regard. Keen to continue developing his skills, Alfie has since pursued further placements to gain wider experience across the marine engineering sector.
Leadership, teamwork, and a positive influence
Alfie is a respected and valued member of his cohort. As class representative, he plays a key role in supporting communication between students and staff, gathering feedback, organising discussions, and representing his peers with maturity and professionalism.
His willingness to support others is one of his standout qualities. Alfie has shown particular dedication in mentoring a fellow student who was struggling, guiding them through practical tasks, helping them build confidence, and even running a mock test to support their progress. His positive influence within the group recently earned him the prestigious Jack Petchey Award, highlighting the respect he has gained from both staff and peers.
A future firmly anchored in marine engineering
Alfie is fully committed to pursuing a career in the marine engineering industry and has all the qualities needed to excel; passion, technical ability, leadership, and a genuine desire to support others.
Reflecting on his award, Alfie said: “I wasn’t expecting the award, but I’m very happy. I enjoy that you always get to learn something new, and marine engineering is such a vast industry and getting to see all the different parts of it is great. Go for it; there are lots of opportunities, not just in engineering but in leisure and cruise ships too. I want to be a marine engineer in the leisure industry, working on superyachts. I mainly helped my peers as some had struggled, so I guided them through their practical work and ran a mock test with them. The class was very close, and it was lovely. The college should be super proud to have Simon as a tutor. He’s great, incredibly knowledgeable, and a real credit to the college.”
Alfie’s dedication, work ethic, and positive influence make him an outstanding ambassador for the college and a truly worthy Engineering Student of the Year.
Alfie's journey demonstrates what can be achieved through hard work, perseverance and a genuine passion for learning. Whether supporting his classmates, undertaking industry placements or pushing himself to develop new skills, he has consistently gone above and beyond throughout his studies. His dedication to marine engineering, combined with his leadership qualities and commitment to helping others succeed, make him a thoroughly deserving recipient of the Engineering Student of the Year award. We are incredibly proud of Alfie's achievements and look forward to seeing him continue to thrive as he pursues an exciting future in the marine engineering industry.