IAgrE Awards success for agricultural engineering students
Two students at Coleg Sir Gâr have been presented with awards for their agricultural engineering skills from the Institution of Agricultural Engineers (IAgrE).
The awards, held at AGCO in Kenilworth, saw Hywel Jones win the Student Safety Award, which recognises innovation in safe design and Tom Abblit won the Student Project Award.
Tom, 23, works on a large-scale mixed farm which is close to his family’s farm where he also helps out.
His design and manufacture of a silage bunker cleaner captured the attention of judges; a group of professional industry representatives.
The product is aimed at increasing animal welfare by keeping silage fresh and reducing old silage in the bottom of a bunker which would go off when new silage is placed on top, producing more waste, and expense.
Hywel Jones won the Student Safety Award for his brake efficiency monitor.
The 18-year-old former Ysgol Bro Pedr student, works at T Alun Jones & Son and works with a small beef herd and milks for a neighbouring farm.
His brake efficiency monitor, which he designed and manufactured, offers a reminder to plug in brakes, records brake efficiency, measures wear and has the potential to issue a warning light when the brakes aren’t plugged in.
Rhys James, lecturer in agricultural engineering at Coleg Sir Gâr said: “We’re really proud of Hywel and Tom’s achievements in this industry-focussed competition.
“All our level three students have to design and manufacture a product or an aspect of improvement for an existing product, for the industry which we think is a highly beneficial skill.
“As a result, our students have continuously achieved success every year at the IAgrE awards and we were thrilled to be there to see them collect their awards this year.”
