The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) joined forces with the Southampton Engineering Training Association (SETA) to give schoolgirls aged 13 to 15 the chance to learn practical skills and discover the range of engineering careers that are available to them.

Now in its fourth year, the scheme saw female pupils from three local schools spend the day at the Esso refinery in Fawley, Hampshire. They started with a tour of the plant, meeting a number of women who work there and hearing about their experiences within the profession.

After lunch they visited SETA’s training centre in Southampton, where they donned safety glasses and overalls to take part in a practical session in the workshop. Under the watchful eye of trained instructors they learned about, and practised, skills such as basic electrical wiring and machining.

ECITB CEO David Edwards said: “One of our key objectives is to encourage more women into engineering, as they are currently in a definite minority. We also want to reach them at a younger age through events like this – challenging the stereotypes while also giving them an insight into the diverse and fulfilling careers available to them.”

And Claire Sutton, in charge of apprenticeships at SETA, added: “When the girls left, following a packed day, you could see they had been inspired by what they had experienced. A number of girls who attended in previous years have embarked on a career in engineering – a direction which might not have occurred to them without this type of practical experience.”

Image: SETA instructor Pete Hurlstone shows the schoolgirls how to use a lathe safely in the workshop at the Southampton Engineering Training Association.

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