Middlesbrough College is celebrating one of its brightest young engineers, Ethan Sawyer, who has taken first place at the North East Institute of Technology (NEIoT) regional engineering challenge – a university-level competition that tests the skills, precision and creativity of the region’s top T Level engineering students.
Ethan, who studies T Level Design and Development, impressed judges with his ability to reverse-engineer and recreate complex components with exceptional accuracy. He said: “I really enjoyed my experience. Although I wasn’t nervous, it did get stressful towards the end, especially as we had to use reverse engineering, which is a university-level skill.
“I’m thrilled to have won! It’s been a brilliant opportunity to develop my skills, and something I signed up for to make my CV truly stand out.”
The NEIoT engineering challenge, hosted at Middlesbrough College, brought together students from East Durham College, New College Durham and Tyne Coast College for a full day of hands-on problem-solving and technical skill challenges.
In the morning session, competitors reverse-engineered a physical component using Creality Sermoon 3D scanners, producing highly accurate CAD models and orthographic drawings. In the afternoon, they worked from a digital STL file to recreate the component to industry standards.
Noah Wilburn, from South Tyneside College, secured second place, while Airden Clark, from New College Durham, came in third.
The event was supported by Autodesk, whose sponsorship provided access to industry-standard software and advanced Creality Sermoon 3D scanners, allowing students to undertake ultra-precise reverse engineering by capturing complex surfaces with exceptional accuracy.
Steve Taylor of 3DGBIRE Ltd, an Autodesk Learning Partner and organiser of WorldSkills additive manufacturing competitions, judged the event and praised the high standard of entries.
Iwan Roberts, Education Account Manager for Autodesk Education Experiences, said: “Events like this bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world engineering, giving students hands-on experience with the same digital workflows used by professionals every day.”
Dr Sharon Grant, Director of the North East Institute of Technology, added: “This competition highlighted the outstanding talent in our region and the benefits of collaborative, industry-led learning. We are grateful to Autodesk for their support and to Steve Taylor for helping make this such an inspiring event.
“Congratulations to all the participants for their dedication, and especially to the top three students for their outstanding achievements.”
Middlesbrough College is proud to nurture the next generation of engineers, helping students like Ethan Sawyer gain industry-ready skills that will shape the future of the North East.
The North East Institute of Technology is a partnership between leading regional further education colleges and Newcastle University, working closely with employers including Esh Group and Nissan. Together, the partnership delivers higher technical education in engineering, manufacturing, digital and construction, equipping learners with advanced skills to support regional growth and innovation.
Bishop Auckland College, Derwentside College and Hartlepool College of Further Education have recently joined the partnership, further strengthening NEIoT’s commitment to accelerating higher technical skills development across the region.
