A student from west Norfolk has been awarded a sought-after scholarship to further his studies in the energy sector.

Tim Minshall, 24, from King's Lynn, is studying for his masters in climate change at the University of East Anglia thanks to the ScottishPower Scholarship programme.

Mr Minshall is one of only 16 students selected out of over 270 applicants for the ScottishPower Scholarship, which specialises in postgraduate studies for energy, digital and environmental subjects.

He said: "I was over the moon to find out I had the scholarship. It's very difficult to secure funding to study for a masters and so the ScottishPower scholarship has opened a door for me, which would otherwise have remained closed. I am both grateful and excited for what lies ahead."

Since it began, the ScottishPower scholarship programme has become an invaluable educational experience for aspiring young students looking to progress a specialist career in the energy industry with former students now working in fields such as energy efficiency, biodiversity, electric vehicles and smart grids.

Hamish Watson, HR director at ScottishPower, said: "The ScottishPower scholarship embodies the principles of our business, to attract and retain a diverse workforce that is enthusiastic about the future of the industry. This year we've received our highest number of applicants to date so it's hugely encouraging to see the appetite from students that want to progress their studies in the energy sector.

"We have worked closely with the University of East Anglia to develop a dynamic experience that is both educationally and socially-rewarding, allows our postgraduate students to build networks of colleagues that will support them into their future and learn from the best teaching staff in the country."

In the future, Mr Minshall hopes to pursue a career in climate change modelling - where engineers use models to predict renewable energy trends.

He said: "One of the biggest issues with renewable energy is its reliability. Climate change modelling helps us gain an understanding of renewable energy sources and predict how it should be generated going forward to help accelerate society's shift away from polluting sources of energy." 1.0.0.20