Another Former Pupil achieves top First degree

Former King’s pupil Jonathan Gartside has achieved the highest first class honours degree by any Engineering student at Oxford University this year. Jonathan, 23, won the Maurice Lubbock award as the ancient university’s leading engineer from 130 students. However, he says he is now divided between a career in the City and in Engineering.

“I would love to be able to stay in engineering and use my degree for what it was intended, but given the state of the British job market in Engineering, there would appear to be more opportunities in the City. It’s a decision I am weighing up at the moment. One thing is certain, I am grateful that there are recognisable transferable skills, such as analysis and problem solution,”

As to the reasons for his success, Jonathan remained modest and downbeat: “I have to say it came as an immense surprise to get the best degree across the whole of Oxford University’s School of Engineering. I suppose it was a combination of hard work, outstanding tuition and a little bit of natural talent.”

Jonathan spent four years at Balliol College Oxford including a year at Princeton College in the USA, also working for AstraZeneca before he went up to College. He specialised in electronics and materials engineering and added: “My enthusiasm for the subject was fired by my teachers at King’s and I remain grateful for all the opportunities they presented.”

Head of the King’s Foundation, Dr. Stephen Coyne, said: “Jonathan was an outstanding student who has gone on to realise his full academic potential. One can hardly do better than to obtain the best degree in his subject across the whole of Oxford University and I am sure he will continue to be successful in whatever career he chooses.”