If you were an engineer what would you do? That was the question posed to pupils from across the east of England in a school awards which saw a Stevenage student among the winners.

If you were an engineer what would you do? That was the question posed to pupils from across the east of England in a school awards which saw a Stevenage student among the winners.

Broom Barns Primary School’s Maria Harris was among those to be recognised in the Primary Engineer and Secondary Engineer Leaders Awards 2018 – no mean feat after more than 2,100 entries were received from across the region.

The Year 3 pupil designed ‘The Parrot Guard 2000’ – with the aim of stopping you getting robbed – for the competition, which was supported by Stevenage-based missiles manufacturing firm MBDA.

Benjamin Walker, a Year 1 pupil at Eaton Bray academy in Bedfordshire, was named as overall winner for his ‘Amazing Buggy’ submission.

The entries were shortlisted to two per year group across secondary and primary school ages, with pupils and their invited to an awards ceremony at the University of Hertfordshire last week.

Aileen Randhawa – HR director UK at MBDA, which has a base off Six Hills Way – said: “The competitions have been an enormous success and MBDA recognises the fantastic opportunity that the Primary & Secondary Engineer Leaders Awards offer to address STEM skills shortages across the UK and to drive the development of important skills.

“A number of our engineers have been fortunate enough to have been interviewed by local pupils as part of the process and we have been very impressed by the standard of entries this year. It’s also highly encouraging to see such an even split between boys and girls taking part. It’s reinforced to us that the future for engineering in the UK remains incredibly bright.”

All shortlisted entries were displayed to the public at the University of Hertfordshire last week, and Ben Walker’s design will also be brought to life by engineering students at the university.

“All entries highlighted the outstanding level of creativity amongst participants who were also praised for the high level of technical acumen on display,” said Dr Rodney Day, Dean of the School of Engineering and Technology at the University of Hertfordshire.

“Pupils were tasked with speaking to engineers about what it’s like to work in the field and then consider what they would create if they were given the chance to become an engineer.

“They then had to identify an issue, invent a solution and draw it. I am very impressed with the thinking and creativity shown.”

To find out more about the awards visit leadersaward.com.