Santina Bunting

Santina Bunting is a proud alum of Solihull College and University Centre and an absolute force of nature in redefining what’s possible through an apprenticeship route.

Santina acts as a proud ambassador for women in engineering and underrepresented backgrounds, and at just 20, is a Civil Engineering Technician, in her second-year degree apprenticeship, and a rising star at Arup, where she leads on geotechnical data for global infrastructure projects across India, Saudi Arabia, and Uganda.

The only student in her year group at school to pursue an apprenticeship after GCSEs, Santina joined Solihull College & University Centre in 2021 where she completed a Level 3 apprenticeship on a part time basis whilst working for Arup. This was successfully completed (with a Distinction) in just two years and today Santina’s technical excellence is matched by her influence beyond engineering as she continues to work in partnership with the College to inspire the next generation of talent.

Crowned the youngest-ever Overall Winner at the Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce Young Professional Awards, Santina is also Lead Rep for Arup Birmingham’s Early Careers Programme where she champions over 250 peers, proving that leadership isn’t about age, it’s about connection, lived experience and impact.