He jetted off to the USA last week on the first leg of his year-long adventure in the States. Alphie (21) from Ballymoney completed a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Electronic and Electrical Engineering before progressing to do a Foundation Degree at the College in Ballymena. He will spend the next year at La Roche University in Pennsylvania and on his return will complete his Foundation Degree. He is among 61 students from across Northern Ireland to secure a Study USA scholarship which enables students to study business or STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Maths) subjects for a year in an American college to help develop their career prospects. The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. It manages Study USA on behalf of the Department for the Economy and since its formation in 1994, the initiative has allowed over 2,000 students from Northern Ireland to study in the United States. Alphie said: “I decided to take part in Study USA because I thought it would be a great opportunity to experience what college life is like in America. I’ve never been there before so it was chance to explore a new place and to experience a different culture. “I am excited, as well as nervous, about meeting new people; hopefully, making new friends will help me settle in quicker. “When I come back from America my plans are to find an engineering apprenticeship, focusing on either robotics or mechatronics, and then further down the line I plan to find a full-time job in one of these areas.” The Study USA programme was postponed in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but with restrictions easing, the programme was able to proceed for the 2021/22 academic year. To find out more visit nireland.britishcouncil.org