STUDENTS have taken part in a project to inspire more women to pursue a career in engineering.

The Year 12 pupils from Richmond School and Sixth Form College attended Project Dare, hosted by Network Rail and independent firm of designers and engineers, ARUP.

Over a period of 5 weeks, the students worked on a range of activities, including team-building tasks designed to introduce them to some of the constraints faced when working in engineering.

Students took up an exciting challenge which was themed around the change in design to York Railway Station, which ARUP is working on. Students worked to address different elements of an engineering challenge involving designing an alternative railway route from York to Nottingham.

They also visited Network Rail's training centre to learn about career options in the rail industry.

Year 12 student Jade Atkins said: “The project helped to develop my resilience and it has taught me a lot about an area that was difficult to understand at first – it has shown me that I can develop specialist knowledge in engineering to use in the future."