A former Dartford schoolboy and Rochester Bridge Wardens’ Arkwright Scholar has achieved a first class honours degree.

One of the first young people to be supported with a scholarship from the Rochester Bridge Trust Joshua Mudie has now completed his Masters degree in civil engineering after four years of study at the University of Bristol.

Joshua, who used to study at Dartford Grammar School for Boys, was selected to be a Bridge Wardens’ Arkwright Scholar in 2010.

He benefitted from specially arranged engineering experiences and support during the two years he studied for his International Baccalaureate.

The Rochester Bridge Trust has continued to stay in touch with him, providing mentoring and support and helping to identify work experience opportunities.

Bridge clerk Sue Threader said: “It gives me great pleasure to hear of Joshua’s success. The Trust participates in the Arkwright Scholars scheme as a way of supporting dedicated young people on their journey to becoming civil engineers so to see such an achievement from our first student is good news.

“Well done to Joshua, I look forward to hearing about many more achievements in the future.”

Joshua will now study towards a PhD, building on his research in the area of timber-concrete composites.

He said: “Work that I do as part of the PhD has the potential to inform the production of the newest revision of the European Building Codes, where timber-concrete composites are being added as part of a new chapter. I am also hoping to collaborate with colleagues in Italy and Portugal, who have similar interests in this area of research.”

Four other former Bridge Wardens’ scholars are also studying civil engineering at various universities and the Trust will support three more young people through their sixth-form studies from November.

See www.arkwright.org.uk/scholars or www.rochesterbridgetrust.org.uk for more information.