BRIGHT sparks found out how to build themselves a successful future.

The University of Bolton has been staging a number of events for young people in Bolton to celebrate the Year of Engineering to encourage more pupils to think about a career in that field.

Pupils from Mount St Joseph RC School, Clarendon Primary and Gaskell Street Primary Schools attended the first event.

They visited the university’s National Centre for Motorsport Engineering and saw wheels being changed and the complex engineering in high performance cars.

The young people also learned how engineering was used in dentistry to make fillings and crowns, as well as getting an insight into the skills needed to design and build a stage for a live show.

A special "squashed tomato" challenge was held for "female engineers of the future" organised by the university and MBDA.

The students found out how maths and science are used in the real world and the huge number of job opportunities available for scientists before getting the most number of tomatoes transported in under a minute or to get the most number of tomatoes transported in one go. The task was for the students to develop an efficient supply chain management system. Pupils who attended were from Smithills School, Rivington and Blackrod High School, Turton School, Canon Slade School, Westhoughton School, Sharples School, Thornleigh Salesian College, St. Joseph’s RC High School.

Dr Kondal Reddy Kandadi, Pro Vice Chancellor (Academic) of the University of Bolton, said: “The Year of Engineering celebrates the world and the wonder of engineering and yet there is a huge shortage of skills in engineering in the UK.

“Today’s event is aimed at encouraging more young people – especially females – to take up a career in engineering.”

He added: “We have a wide variety of courses available at the University of Bolton in fields of engineering – automotive and motorsports, dental technologies, electronic and electrical engineering, mechanical, civil and biomedical, backstage engineering and much more.

“Hopefully you will choose a career in engineering and a degree here at the University of Bolton.”