Amy urges Sunderland schools to help find engineers of the future

Amy Wright is urging schools to back a competition aimed at finding the next generation of young engineers.
Amy WrightAmy Wright
Amy Wright

Amy, from Houghton, is a senior site engineer on the New Wear Crossing and wants to see as many pupils as possible taking part in the Institution of Civil Engineers’ (ICE) Inspire competition for Year 7 and 8 students, and those in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) clubs.

Teams have to produce an advert to attract people into civil engineering. Entries will be assessed by a panel of professional engineers, and qualifying teams will be invited to a Finals Day in May 2017, where they will work as real-life civil engineers to complete a practical, hands-on construction project.

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“Civil engineers are responsible for our power supplies, clean water, roads, bridges, houses and schools and all the amenities that we take for granted each day,” said Amy, 26.

“The UK needs more civil engineers and we hope schools can get involved to learn more about this amazing career.

“I love my job and am really proud to be working on the new bridge in my home town of Sunderland. The New Wear Crossing is the biggest construction project in the North East at the moment, so it would be wonderful if young people in the city used it as inspiration in this competition, and also in their career choices.

“Let’s have a really good showing from Sunderland and, you never know, maybe one of our schools will be the winner.”

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The winning team will receive £500 for their school and a £50 shopping voucher for each member. The winners of the 2015/16 competition was a group of girls from St Robert of Newminster School.

ICE regional director Penny Marshall said: “Our young people are the future of civil engineering, so it is important to inspire them to take an interest in it at an early age. To meet demand we have to double the number of apprentices and the number of people with engineering qualifications.”

More information and details of how to enter the competition can be found at www.ice.org.uk/near-you/uk/north-east/inspire