Next-Gen Engineers Take on University-Level Challenge

News

Posted on: February 4th, 2026

Some of the brightest young engineering minds in the North East have showcased their technical skills at a regional engineering challenge hosted by Middlesbrough College, delivered by the North East Institute of Technology (NEIoT).

The NEIoT engineering challenge brought together T Level engineering students from Middlesbrough College, East Durham College, New College Durham and Tyne Coast College for a full day of hands-on competition, testing precision, creativity and problem-solving under pressure.

Across the day, students completed two technical challenges. In the morning, competitors reverse-engineered a physical component using Creality Sermoon 3D scanners, producing accurate CAD models and orthographic drawings. In the afternoon session, students worked from a digital STL file to recreate the component to industry standards.

Following a closely fought competition, Airden Clark, a student from New College Durham, secured third place, while Noah Wilburn, from South Tyneside College, achieved second place.

First place was awarded to Ethan Sawyer, from Ingleby Barwick, who studies T Level Design and Development at Middlesbrough College. Ethan said: “I really enjoyed my experience. Although I wasn’t nervous, I did find it stressful towards the end, especially as we had to use reverse engineering, which is a university-level skill. I’m both surprised and pleased to have won. It’s been a brilliant opportunity to compete and develop my skills, and something I signed up for to help my CV truly stand out.”

The event was supported by Autodesk, whose sponsorship enabled participating colleges to access industry-standard software and invest in advanced Creality Sermoon 3D scanners, allowing students to undertake ultra-precise reverse engineering by capturing complex surfaces with exceptional accuracy.

The competition was judged by Steve Taylor of 3DGBIRE Ltd, an Autodesk Learning Partner and organiser of WorldSkills additive manufacturing competitions. Taylor also authored the test project for the WorldSkills finals held in Lyon in September 2024.

Iwan Roberts, Education Account Manager for Autodesk Education Experiences, said: “At Autodesk, we’re passionate about helping the next generation of engineers develop the skills they need to succeed in industry. 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 demonstrated the outstanding talent coming through our colleges and the value of collaborative, industry-led learning. We are incredibly grateful to Autodesk for their support, which has enabled access to cutting-edge technology and valuable staff training across our partner colleges.

“I would also like to thank Steve Taylor for his expertise in helping to make this such an inspiring and high-quality event. Congratulations to all the participants for their dedication, and especially to the top three students for their outstanding achievements.”

The North East Institute of Technology is a partnership between leading further education colleges across the region and Newcastle University, working closely with employers including Esh Group and Nissan. 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 North East.