Preview: Scarborough Engineering Week, 15-17 October 2012, The Spa, Scarborough

Yorkshire's centre of engineering excellence continues investing for its future

Scarborough, July 23, 2012 --- Over 2000 schoolchildren are expected to attend Scarborough Engineering Week in October, the event aimed at encouraging youngsters to consider careers in the engineering industry. Now in its third year, the organisers are delighted with the success of the event, which is doubling in size each year.

"Engineering is critical to the UK's future, and especially to Scarborough which is a regional centre of engineering excellence, yet we are constrained by skills shortages," says Peter Wilkinson from the lead organiser Unison, which makes metalworking machines. "Engineering offers superb opportunities for job satisfaction and reward, but for many youngsters today it's not their first choice of career. Scarborough Engineering Week aims to win young hearts and minds by showing the amazing things that engineers can achieve."

A highlight of this year's event is the appearance of the 'Bloodhound SSC' jet- and rocket-powered car, which is targeting speeds of 1000 mph to smash the current world land speed record. One of the most popular exhibits from last year's event, the 'Angelic Bulldog' streamliner motorcycle that's being built to reach speeds of 400 mph and break the world motorcycle land speed record, also returns.

The event is being organised by Unison, with the help of the regional education business partnership NYBEP, and in conjunction with local schools and colleges and many of the region's best-known engineering companies. York Potash - currently investigating the feasibility of a potash mine in the Whitby and Scarborough area - is sponsoring the exhibition. Among the many engineering businesses already committed to exhibiting are Plaxton, Blue Bird Vehicles, Perry Slingsby Systems, Fanuc Robotics, Moog, Faro, Dale Erskine, and North Sea Winches.

Although Scarborough Engineering Week has always been considered to be an investment in the region's medium term future, Unison is already starting to see an effect. The company recently hosted a teenager on a work experience week, who decided to look for a job in engineering after visiting the first Scarborough Engineering Week in 2010.

ENDS