Whitworth Visionary 2018: Brian Coaker
Brian Coaker is the 2018 Whitworth Visionary Award winner after being put forward for the award by his peers.
Brian started out on his engineering career as an apprentice at the age of 16, before moving on to a full-time Engineering & Applied Physics degree at Lancaster University, at which time he won the Whitworth Scholarship award.
Brian says this scholarship was a big help for his confidence, especially because he was the first person in his family to go off to university.
“It was fantastic being recognised by an interview panel and being successful in that way as I was taking that conscious step in my career to start my degree,” he says. “Since then the network has been really helpful with interesting conversations, technical guidance and career advice from all sorts of members of the Whitworth Society.
“That range of cross-discipline experience and knowledge is readily shared, and that’s terrific.”
And now, Brian is heavily involved in the leadership of the Whitworth Society himself, sitting on the awards panel and filling the office of president. The Whitworth Visionary Award is just the latest recognition he has received for his work in the industry, and something that he says came as a bit of a surprise.
“I was delighted to be put forward for this award, although it was a bit of a surprise,” he says. “I sit on the IMechE Whitworth Awards panel, and each year we are asked to put forward a nominee from within the network of Whitworth Scholars for this award, and this year my colleagues on the panel just turned and put my name forward.
“I haven’t been on the receiving end of an award such as this for some time now, so it was a bit of a surprise, but a very nice one.”
Looking to the future, Brian says that, alongside his own consultancy work, he is looking forward to presiding over the Whitworth Society’s 150th anniversary celebrations.
“This year the Whitworth Society celebrates 150 years of Whitworth Scholarships,” he says. “I am particularly proud to be holding the office of president in this special year, and will have a lot to do around the society and the awards, focussing on attracting high calibre candidates into the scheme over the coming years and decades.”