WOTTON firm Renishaw has launched an initiative to encourage young people to consider careers in engineering.

The engineering technologies company has teamed up with organisation Young Engineers to give six young people an insight into their industry.

The Renishaw Engineering Experience, which is open to full-time UK students aged 16 to 18, will run annually for an initial three years. The first experience will take place this June.

It is hoped the competition will stimulate interest in an industry which is suffering from a major shortfall of skilled workers.

Renishaw currently has over 100 vacancies in the UK, the majority for engineers with specialist knowledge, some of which have been open for more than a year.

The company’s group human resources manager Peter Bowler said: "As a nation we simply have to attract high quality people into engineering.

"The Renishaw Engineering Experience promises to be an inspiring and potentially life changing experience for six lucky students."

Winning students will spend five days visiting engineering organisations and meeting the people behind their success, as well as seeing the products which impact our daily lives.

Rod Edwards, chief executive of Young Engineers, said: "Engineers are involved in cutting edge technology in amazingly diverse products and have a major role in helping to tackle global challenges including climate change, health and energy security.

"Today, engineers are in great demand in the UK, and with a shortage of engineers forecast for many years, there has arguably never been a better time to consider a career in engineering."

Entry is open until Sunday, March 31, with selection taking place in April. Full details can be found online at Youngeng.org/index.asp?page=1405