Farrat Isolevel to fund scholarships in memory of student

Altrincham-based business Farrat Isolevel have committed to supporting a five-year programme of widening participation scholarships at the University of Salford.

The Farrat Pemberton Scholarship Programme, which began in 2023, will continue and expand from September 2026, supporting 15 students in both undergraduate and postgraduate level to fulfil their potential over the next five years across a number of science, engineering, business and professional fields.

Aiming to provide a clear link between education and industry, the programme was designed in memory of Joe Pemberton, a Salford student who had just completed an iPhD with Farrat when he sadly passed away in 2023.

In addition to financial support, the programme also provides scholars with a programme of employability help such as mentoring, talks and placements. Farrat’s wider educational and community outreach comes with ambitions to link the scholarship to a number of local colleges and schools.

The new programme will respond to growth in technology-driven roles such as AI, data and software, continued demand for engineering and sustainability-focused roles linked to the green transition, increasing importance of transferable skills like problem-solving, adaptability and communication, and the strong, ongoing need for commercial roles, especially sales and customer-facing positions.

Ben Hawley, Talent Acquisition & Development Partner at Farrat, said: “I believe it isn’t just about the technical specialists – the biggest opportunity sits in developing well-rounded individuals who can combine technical awareness with strong communication and commercial thinking.”

The programme will therefore be extended to support programmes across two of Salford’s three faculties, covering computing and business.

Based in Altrincham with a new international site in Germany, Farrat Isolevel is an engineering and manufacturing firm that specialises in controlling vibration and thermal bridging as a catalyst for resource-efficient buildings and enhancing the quality of urban life. The company has a strong emphasis on using advanced engineering to solve complex challenges and boasts an impressive list of projects and customers all around the world.

With a primary aim of widening participation and access to the University, Farrat have a long-standing partnership with Salford, which spans research and knowledge exchange through our world-leading facilities: Energy House Labs, Acoustics, Careers and Employability.

Julie Charge, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at the University of Salford, said: “In addition to advancing research and innovation through their work with leading academics here at the University, Farrat are also supporting the next generation of skilled professionals through this programme and providing invaluable opportunities to young people, and we are immensely pleased to be growing our partnership with them.

This vital connection between education, training and industry really helps to enrich the lives of our students.”

Enabling students to focus completely on their studies whilst also pursuing valuable work experience through job applications and career development opportunities, one of the many students whose academic journey has been significantly shaped by the support of the Farrat scholarship is Kiesha Shaw, final year BSc Physics student.

Kiesha graduated with a first-class degree earlier this month, and throughout her time at university, has demonstrated strong leadership as President of the Physics society, contributing actively to student engagement and community building within her department.

Oliver Farrell, Chief Executive and third-generation owner, said: “I am forever grateful for my upbringing and the inspiration and opportunities that came with it and this is one of the ways we at Farrat can pay forwards. Through this programme we are investing in talent that may have been locked out of higher education and improve their chances to contribute to supporting a better world. We have seen this already with the first cohort and I look forward to what we can achieve with this updated partnership in the years ahead.”

As part their support, Kiesha also completed a two-month internship with Farrat last summer where she developed a range of professional skills, including project management, collaboration with engineering teams, and delivering presentations.

Nicola Whyley, Senior Philanthropy Manager at the University of Salford, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be continuing and expanding the Farrat Pemberton Scholarship Programme from September 2026. Our partnership with Farrat is truly exceptional and proof that magic really can happen when you have two organisations whose vision and mission is so aligned around social mobility and creating life-changing opportunities for young people.”