Wolverhampton University puts women in the fast lane - with video and pictures
Schoolgirls got their chance to see what it was like to fly a plane, driving a racing car and work in a Formula 1 pit-stop at a special open day to encourage more women to seek careers in engineering.
Sixty girls from schools across the Midlands turned out for the International Women in Engineering day at Wolverhampton University's Shropshire Innovation Centre.
The youngsters aged 12 to 17 learned about the opportunities available through the university's motor racing team, about the work students are doing in the field of robotics, and the careers available in hi-tech industries such as Formula 1 racing and aerospace.
The girls also heard from women who had forged successful careers in engineering, including Mercedes Formula 1 design engineer Elsa Reeve.
The day had been organised by the university's social media co-ordinator Tara Andrews, who said it had been a huge success.
"It's been really exciting for the schools in the West Midlands area to engage with the university like this," she said.
"Everybody has been really interested, which is good because the people who have come along are not necessarily those who were interested in engineering, but we have been able to show those girls the interesting jobs that might be available."
Youngsters from the Willenhall E-Act Academy, Walsall Academy, Phoenix Collegiate in West Bromwich, and Cheltenham College all attended the event.
They were invited to try their hand at flying a plane or driving a racing car using specialist simulators, which are normally used during research to see how handling characteristics can be affected by slight changes to design or component failures.
Postgraduate student Navya Venkateshaiah showed off a robot she had built, while the pupils could also test out their skills on carrying out rapid tyre changes in a Formula 1 style pit-stop.
There were also demonstrations of 3D printing techniques, as well as cutting-edge equipment including a hospital-style CT scanner which could be used to examine the inside of precision components.
The day was one of several events across the country organised to encourage girls to study science, technology and maths subjects by showing the exciting career opportunities available. Engineering UK said Britain would need to recruit 20,000 new engineers every year, but just nine per cent of engineering workers in the UK were women.
Marketing manager David Witton said there were approximately 400 engineering students at Wolverhampton, about a quarter of them women.
