Agricultural engineering student presented with prestigious IAgrE Student Project Award

“The students really put their all into this project and we look forward to seeing their designs and supporting them through the process. Their continuous success in the IAgrE awards over so many years, makes us very proud.” Rhys James, Lecturer.

A Coleg Sir Gâr agricultural engineering student who now works full-time for Gwili Jones tractor and farm machinery dealers, has won the prestigious IAgrE Student Project Award.

Kien Evans, 18, is studying an extended diploma in land-based technology at the college’s Gelli Aur campus and lives on a smallholding in Cilcennin, Ceredigion. 

He was presented with the award by Kit Franklin, IAgrE’s president.

The Student Project Award is presented to students of the best final year project, submitted as part of an accredited land-based engineering course.

They are asked to think of four designs for either a new agricultural product or an existing product modification and then they are asked to manufacture their chosen design.

Kien, who is also a member of Mydroilyn YFC, designed and manufactured a side shift headstock, with a ram fitted on either side allowing the headstock to slide.  

At Gelli Aur campus, this project holds significant value for staff - and students are tasked to formally present their findings, which include costing, health and safety and research. They are then asked to demonstrate their manufactured product.

The college was told by IAgrE that the judges were impressed by the standard of entries, especially the entries from Coleg Sir Gâr and Kien’s winning entry, which they said was ‘well designed’ and exhibited ‘good manufacturing skills’.  

Rhys James, lecturer in agricultural engineering at Coleg Sir Gâr said: “Well deserved congratulations from all of us to Kien.

“The students really put their all into this project and we look forward to seeing their designs and supporting them through the process.

“Their continuous success in the IAgrE awards over so many years, makes us very proud.”

The awards took place at Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester, in April this year and Kien won the award for his work completed at college in 2025.