County challenge builds bridges with local schools

15 October 2008

School pupils in Rugby recently gained an insight into the planning and development of major projects while competing in a mock engineering challenge.

Warwickshire County Council and Carillion, its partner in the £37M Rugby western relief road development, collaborated with Warwickshire Education Business Partnership to organise the inter-schools challenge.

Eight teams of year 10 students from four schools competed to build the best bridge, taking into account everything, from initial planning, through to costings, safety and strength. The aim was for geography and design and technology students to gain an insight into the work which goes into a development contract of the size of the Rugby relief road project.

Throughout the challenge, the students had help and advice from civil engineers, as well as graduates from Carillion and the county council. Following the challenge, the students travelled to view the relief road development for themselves.

Cllr Chris Saint, Warwickshire County Council’s portfolio holder for economic development, said: ‘This day provides an ideal opportunity for several schools to compete in fun and friendly surroundings, while learning about a real project in their very own community.’ The overall winner was the Rugby School team of Alex Roden, Becky Denton, Sam Livingstone and Charlotte Hogarth.

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