YOUNGSTERS from seven schools across York and North Yorkshire took part in a special day of activities at the National Railway Museum to learn about careers in engineering.

The Engineering Extravaganza Day was organised by the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, the Institute of Engineering and Technology, and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and involved students from York’s Fulford School working alongside Tadcaster Grammar, St John Fisher RC, Brayton High, Scalby School, Nidderdale High and Caedmon College.

Working with practising engineers, the children participated in activities including: l Building replicas of a 4,000mph vacuum tube train, which has been hypothesised as a potential alternative to air journeys; l Building a replica of the Bloodhound Car, a 1,000mph supersonic vehicle that will be tested in 2016; l Building skyscrapers from Lego to explore how reduced space will affect civilisation.

The event was part of a week of activities called Tomorrow’s Engineers and was aimed at engaging young people with the industry to inspire them to consider careers in engineering.

There is plenty of opportunity because there are 1.82 million roles the industry needs to fill by 2022.

Josie Rothera, of the Institution of Civil Engineers, said: “This is a chance for engineers to engage with young people and promote the exciting opportunities that careers in the industry offer.“We have a need for almost two million new entrants into engineering in the next seven years, and we hope that some of the young people who took part in Engineering Extravaganza Day will be enthused to take what they have learned forward.”

Claire Marston, the learning partnership coordinator at the NRM, said: “Our museum is all about celebrating the wonders of engineering, and our vast halls are the ideal location to get kids fully hands on surrounded by the great engineering achievements of the past 200 years of railway history.”