A HOST of activities aimed at opening primary school pupils eyes to engineering careers, using bridges, robots and supersonic cars have been taking place.

Foundation for Jobs has been working with primary schools on two projects, one involving civil engineering and a second involving underwater robotics.

In addition A-level students from Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form in Darlington (QE), who are part of the College’s Future Engineers Scheme, ran a session based on the Bloodhound supersonic car.

Now a national award-winning project, Foundation for Jobs is a joint initiative to tackle youth unemployment involving The Northern Echo, Darlington Borough Council and the Darlington Partnership of private firms and public sector organisations, which has also enjoyed support from businesses and industrialists across the whole North-East region.

Last week a team of pupils from Springfield Primary School at the Education Village in Darlington attended a Foundation for Jobs run event in partnership with Darlington College where they built a cable stayed bridge owned by The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) North-East from scratch before walking across it.

Springfield Primary is also involved in the Primary Engineer scheme, which instructs schools on delivering engineering related lessons, after being supported by Foundation for Jobs and Modus Seabed Intervention to send a teacher through the training.

Early in the new year pupils at the school will take part in sessions around subsea engineering which will conclude with them building their own mini underwater ROVs (remotely operated vehicles).

Whinfield Primary School in Darlington is also taking part in Primary Engineer after being supported by John Bignall of The Bignall Group and Foundation for Jobs.

The A-level students at the QE went into Mowden Primary School in Darlington where pupils were asked to work in teams to design a supersonic car, think about the engineering principles behind it and then build a kit car to race at the end to see whose went the fastest.

Foundation for Jobs chairman Coun Chris McEwan said: “It is vitally important we get children interested in science, engineering and maths and their place in the real world of work at an early age.

“These sectors are going to see massive growth right here in Darlington as the pupils make their way through school and it is vital we give them the best chance of taking full advantage of these opportunities.”

As a major part of the region’s economy engineering is a key area for Foundation for Jobs in its aim to match young people’s aspirations with the North-East employment market.

It has worked with more than 3,700 young people since it was launched in January 2012.

For further details contact owen.mcateer@darlington.gov.uk or go to www.foundationforjobs.co.uk