The Youth Engineering Show (Yes) at Rainton Meadows has attractions including Honda's Asimo, the world's most advanced humanoid robot, and a man versus machine face-off which sees challengers pit their wits against one of Nissan's production-line robots in a buzzer game.

Yes provides an opportunity for about 7,000 11 to 14-year-old students to sample the range of career options available in engineering.

In the North East for the first time, Yes is a fast-moving 85-minute event which features presentations, interviews, demonstrations and video about the world of engineering – as well as a visit from Honda's Asimo robot.

One NorthEast Manufacturing and Productivity Manager, Dr Colin Herron, said: "The Youth Engineering Show has been a huge success in the North East and I hope we can continue to play host to it for many years to come."

William De Braekeleer, Corporate PR Manager, Honda Motor Europe Ltd. said: "Honda has supported the Youth Engineering Show since 2005 and I was delighted to be able to showcase the new version of Asimo at this first event in the North East.

"Asimo is a real machine designed and developed through the passion of many of our own scientists and engineers, so we hope that what they have achieved can act as an inspiration to aspiring engineers"

Yes sponsors include: One NorthEast, Manufacturing Advisory Service, North East Productivity Alliance, Sunderland City Council, Newcastle Science City, Gateshead College, South Tyneside Manufacturing Forum, Caterpillar, BAE Systems (Newcastle), Iris Engineering, Facilitators, NAC and Expanded Metal Company, NSAM, Paradise Foods, PepsiCo International United Kingdom, Easington District Council and Roseberry Leisure.