PUPILS from two Bradford schools had a day’s work experience with a leading West Yorkshire employer as part of activities to inspire them about potential careers.

The 15 youngsters from Tong High School and Parkside High School gained an insight into work at the Ilkley head office of building services group NG Bailey as part of Work Inspiration Week run by E3 Bradford, which works to strengthen links between education and business.

Activities during the day included building a hoist from giant Meccano pieces.

NG Bailey, took part in the activity as an extension of its Inspire programme through which it works with local schools in the Bradford and Leeds area to engage young people about work possibilities and open their eyes to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects.

Frank Clayton, head of group learning and development, said: “We always enjoy the opportunity to work with young people and bring engineering to life for them. We’ve taken part in E3’s Work Inspiration Week before and always found it to be a lot of fun as well as a great way to engage with pupils and encourage them to consider studying more STEM subjects when they choose their options.

“We worked really hard to design a challenging, hands-on session involving the design and build of a rollercoaster and then a working hoist.

“The pupils got stuck into both projects and the finished structures, along with the buzz of energy in the room, are a clear sign that they enjoyed the tasks we set them. If today’s activities mean there’s one more pupil considering engineering as a career, then that’s a good job and a great day’s work.”

NG Bailey’s Inspire programme has to date engaged with more than 1,000 young people in the North of England and aims to get 5,000 youngsters involved in projects by 2018.

More than 50 pupils from Bradford schools visited gained work experience at local firms during the week .

Paul Mackie, E3 Bradford chairman and Bradford Chamber of Commerce president, said: “I often hear employers bemoaning the inadequate skills of young people. It’s been shown that young people with some form of work intervention have 75 per cent more chance of getting a job when leaving school or college. The third Work Inspiration Week helped inspire Bradford children and demonstrated what might be expected of them when they join the business world.”