My name is Sara Abdel Ahad and I am one of Sunmarke school’s alumni. I graduated from the school in 2017 after completing my Maths, Physics and Business A-Levels, achieving A*’s in all three subjects. This landed me an offer at the University of Exeter, studying MEng Renewable Energy Engineering on their Cornwall campus.
At University, I spent the best 4 years of my life. I learnt all about solar, wind, tidal, and wave energy technologies which made me realise the importance of my degree for our future. This encouraged me to work as a student ambassador for the University, alongside my studies, to encourage other students to study STEM subjects. Living and studying in Cornwall has also been a unique experience as I was surrounded by greenery and the sea.
After graduating from the University of Exeter with a First Class Honours in 2021, I was offered a job as a Graduate Engineer at Photon Energy in Reading, UK. I have recently been promoted to an Assistant Engineer, working on the design of commercial rooftop PV systems for large companies in the UK. I have been involved in some of the company’s biggest projects for large food distributors, going on site visits and assisting the delivery of the projects. One of my biggest achievements is the respect and trust I have earned from my colleagues and directors as a result of my hard work and commitment.
Throughout my education and work experience, I have grown as an individual as I became more independent. This was influenced by the encouragement I received from my teachers at Sunmarke school who always believed in me and pushed me to apply to University in the UK. In the future, as I gain more experience, I would like to progress to become a project manager, working on large-scale rooftop and ground-mount PV systems around the World. If I could summarise the lessons I learnt throughout my adult life so far, I would emphasise the importance of believing in oneself and stepping outside the comfort zone because this is the only way to find our limits and accomplish our dreams.
