AN AWE engineering apprentice inspired young women at a Basingstoke College of Technology (BCoT) event.

Samantha McRae answered questions from budding future engineers at the Women in Technology careers day held at the college in Worting Road.

Students from The Costello School and Bishop Challoner Catholic School in Basingstoke, and The Hurst Community College in Baughurst, attended the event to understand what opportunities are available for them in engineering and technology.

Other organisations that attended included Virgin Media, based in Hook, and Reading-based Gillette, who both had female engineers on hand to answer questions.

Samantha, 22, who has been an AWE apprentice for close to four years, said: “I found the event great for networking with other apprentices from large companies and it was great to see BCoT giving the student a practical insight into engineering and technological careers.

“I think those who attended got a sense of the variety of jobs within the engineering and technology industries.”

BCoT marketing and admissions manager, Claire Sutton, who organised the event said: “Our experience at BCoT reflects industry in general in that there are not as many young women applying for technology-based subjects as we would want.

“The event was all about giving pupils from the schools we work with the chance to have a go at some subjects they might not have considered before.

“I think the highlight of the day for me was meeting our guest speakers.

“All are at different stages in their careers, but all of them, like Samantha, are thriving and really enjoying what they do.

“I thought their honesty and enthusiasm was infectious and I know the girls learnt something from them all.”