CUC Scholarship Recipient Jonathan Key graduates with engineering degree

2017 Caribbean Utilities Company, Ltd. (CUC) scholarship recipient Jonathan Key recently returned to the Company following his graduation from the University of Indianapolis in Indiana in the United States with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Minor in Mathematics.

He joins the Engineering & Business Development Department as a Graduate Engineer. Over the next year, apart from his engineering responsibilities, Jonathan will spend time with the various departments learning the role each department plays in the day-to-day operations of the Company. Each returning CUC scholarship recipient undergoes a similar cross-training exercise.

On his return to Grand Cayman during his summer vacations, Jonathan worked with the Company as an intern in several departments including the Engineering & Business Development and Production Maintenance departments.

While at university, Jonathan participated in a number of engineering projects the highlight of which was his engineering team’s capstone project being entered in the 2021 National Robotics World Championships in Marion, Ohio. As Project Manager, Jonathan’s university team earned a Gold Award and a World Championship designation in the Combat Robot category with their robot “Beetleweight”. This was the first time a team from the University of Indianapolis had entered the competition.

Commenting on his time at school and his new challenges at CUC, Jonathan said, “Over the past four years, I have had the privilege of working with and leading a team of potential engineers from various disciplines. Each year, we worked with a client from a US company to develop solutions to a number of problems they were experiencing in their working environment. It was a defining moment in my academic development during my final year at university to lead our school’s team to a gold medal in the National Robotics World Championships. Thanks to CUC, I have the opportunity to return home and begin my career as an engineer directly out of university. Over the next three years, I will be going through a development programme to improve myself and to gain valuable experience in the Company. I would not have had the unique opportunity to study abroad without the help from CUC of which I am greatly appreciative.”

Jonathan is a 2017 graduate of Triple C School where he earned passes in Mathematics, English, Marine Biology, Economics, Careers, Christian Education and British and Caymanian History.

CUC established its scholarship programme in 1989 and since then has awarded full and partial scholarships to over 55 current and past employees and high school students in the fields of mechanical and electrical engineering, information technology, systems operations, environmental management, occupational safety and health and financial services. In 2016, the Company further enhanced its scholarship programme by offering assistance for qualified students to pursue their A levels.