A NATIONAL company visited a Neilston school in a bid to get more women into engineering, writes Monica Gibson.

Star Refrigeration visited St Thomas’ Primary to support International Women in Engineering Day.

Brendan Docherty, the school’s headteacher, said: “I am keen to be involved in initiatives that support the development of our children as we are aiming to drive forward STEM across the school.”

Three of Star’s female engineers shared their stories about how they entered the industry from different paths and the kind of different roles they do.

Claire Syme, of Star Refrigeration, said she believes the fact engineers tackle some of the world’s most pressing problems makes a career very appealing.

She explained: “You could help fight climate change by designing environmentally friendly engineering solutions to improve our lives.

“You could join a team that designs driverless vehicles. Whatever you’re into, there are lots of engineering opportunities to choose from.”

The initiative is part of the efforts to address the fact that only nine per cent of the UK engineering workforce is female, according to research by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (TIET).