CAMMELL Laird will host a special event aiming to encourage young women to consider careers in engineering later this week.

The Birkenhead shipbuilder and neighbouring engineering college has joined forces to showcase the work of female engineers to students from sixth forms in the area to mark International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) 2019.

Friday's event, taking place from midday and aimed at girls in sixth form, comes as Cammell Laird prepares to launch a recruitment drive for apprentices and aims to demonstrate the world of opportunities available in engineering.

Laird's chief operating officer Tony Graham urged local women interested in learning more about engineering careers to register for the event.

He said: "Cammell Laird has always had a strong female presence across departments of the company.

"However, we do want to encourage more young women to think of engineering as a career and this event will give a real insight into what it is like to work here.

"Engineering is now more open than it has ever been to women and we have a number of female engineers who are flourishing in their jobs who will be giving presentations.

"Women engineers and female workers make Cammell Laird a better business and we very much look forward to showcasing what we have to offer."

The event will start with a tour of the neighbouring Engineering College, where Cammell Laird apprentices carry out their training. Attendees will get to grips with welding tasks using virtual reality sets as well as experiencing activities using computer-aided design.

Terry Weston, chief executive of the engineering college, said: "We want to send out the message that engineering isn't gender specific and that there are endless opportunities for anyone within our industry.

"There's a massive misconception that engineering is all carried out outdoors or in a workshop, with heavy machinery, so we're trying to highlight the other routes an engineering career can take you down."

Claire Biggar, assistant ship manager, joined Cammell Laird 18 months ago and will be speaking at the event. Claire spent six years in the Royal Navy.

She said: "Shipbuilding and ship repair is an industry many people don’t know a lot about and engineers, generally, are declining. We want to open our doors to young women to let them into our world and highlight the career paths available at Cammell Laird.”

Colleague Kirsten Blood will also be presenting at the event. Kirsten was 17 when she joined the business as an apprentice mechanical fitter nine years ago, having decided the university route wasn't for her.

After working in the tooling department, she is now a quality inspector overseeing that area of the business.

Friday's event takes place from 12 noon and is aimed at girls in sixth form.

To register an interest in attending, contact Cammell Laird on 649 6600