Bridge Building a Success!

Over thirty S2 pupils from around the isles took part in a Bridge Building construction competition at UHI Shetland on Wednesday 04 March.

Over thirty S2 pupils from around the isles took part in a Bridge Building construction competition at UHI Shetland on Wednesday 04 March.

A partnership between UHI Shetland, Shetland Construction Training Group and CITB invited young people to join in a day of literal Bridge Building; with the young people working in teams to construct bridges out of wood, in the pursuit of three prizes: Overall Winner, Best Teamwork and Best-looking Bridge.

Each team were tasked with building the most efficient bridge, with each item of wood being given a cost, and that cost overall being calculated at the end. This encouraged the young people to consider their designs carefully and be mindful of how these projects in real life can be expensive undertakings depending on their design.

At the end of the day the winners were Aith Junior High School with students: Max Johnston, Dylan Odie, Signe Bullough, Cari Sutherland taking the main prize!

Anthony McLeod, Head of Technology, Maritime and the Built Environment at UHI Shetland said “We’re delighted to have so many young people joining us today for this competition. We see real value in the children applying their STEM skills in a construction setting. Well done to all the winners!”

Brydon Leask, of the Shetland Construction Training Group, from G A Leask Builders added “it’s been a good day seeing the up-and-coming talent that we have here in Shetland. Seeing the different bairns working together and we hope to see some of the bairns make their to the construction industry”.

Carrie MacDonald, Apprenticeship Development Officer at CITB said “It was great to see the turnout today and the enjoyment that the young people got from today’s competition. During Scottish Apprenticeship Week we are keen to highlight the apprenticeship routes into construction which is a vital industry for Shetland. We hope to see many of these pupils back in the future as apprentices!”