Young urged to take up engineering jobs

Scarborough Engineering Week, which runs until tomorrow, aims to provide North Yorkshire’s economy with a long-term boost. It’s part of a strategy to destroy the old-fashioned “rags and spanners” view of engineering.

By giving young people the chance to see and touch a range of hi-tech objects produced by Yorkshire-based engineers, the organisers hope that youngsters will stay in Scarborough and find skilled jobs with local firms.

Some engineering firms have reported problems in recruiting staff locally.

The event, which is being hosted by Scarborough Spa, has attracted youngsters aged from four to 19.

York Potash is the event’s headline sponsors and other big supporters include the engineering firm Unison and minibus manufacturer Bluebird Vehicles.

The event has been organised with help from Rebecca McCleary, of the North Yorkshire Business and Education Partnership.

Ms McCleary said yesterday: “We have an aging workforce and we need to inspire young minds. There is a misconception – a lot of people thought engineering was dirty and underpaid. They don’t understand the clean engineering that we have here.

“Many young people move away from Scarborough and come back when they’re older.

“We want to highlight what we’ve got to offer, with increasing numbers of students taking up apprenticeships.”

Organiser Peter Wilkinson, who is Unison’s non-executive director, said before the event started yesterday: “Empowering young people to take control of their future in an ever changing world is essential... Especially as they progress to careers which do not exist yet.

“This is at the heart of Scarborough Engineering Week.”

During the event, experts and business leaders from Yorkshire will bring along some of the latest technology being used in business today, including robots, virtual reality kits, and 3D technology.

Bluebird Vehicles is giving children the chance to see their names up in lights.

The coach builder will allow visitors to programme a digital LED destination display, with wording of their choice.

Visitors also have the chance to speak to apprentices about career opportunities.

According to the organisers, every school in Scarborough has signed up to support the three-day festival of innovation. More than 2,000 children are expected to attend, which is the biggest figure in the event’s four-year history.

Scarborough and its neighbouring districts has a number of engineering firms that have a big impact on a global scale.

Unison, which is based in Scarborough, already supplies tube-bending machines which are used to make parts for Wal-Mart shopping trolleys and Chinook helicopters.

Unison has also helped to develop the Boeing Dreamliner, which is lighter and more fuel-efficient than other aircraft.

One of the company’s customers, Airbus in Filton, near Bristol, uses six of Unison’s machines to produce bent tubes in the wings of aircraft, including the super jumbo A380.

Earlier this year, Lord Green, Minister of State for Trade and Investment, opened Unison’s new design and manufacturing facility.

Unison makes machines for bending metal tubes and pipes, and exports more than half of its output.

Other big companies supporting the event included Plaxton, which was established more than a century ago.

The Plaxton name has become synonymous with the passenger transport industry in Britain and beyond.

It is estimated that there are more than 20,000 of the company’s buses and coaches in service around the world,

[email protected]