ROYAL Navy engineers from HM Naval Base Clyde will be visiting primary schools throughout Argyll and Bute to help launch a major science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) competition in partnership with the Primary Engineer organisation.

Five engineers from the military site were joined by primary school teachers recently to receive training from Primary Engineer on how to deliver the STEM initiative to pupils.

The team will now travel around the region to lay down the gauntlet to children and teachers, challenging them to create their very own working model car with the chance to compete against other schools in the area.

Lieutenant Commander Christopher Pinder, who is leading the navy engineers during the visits, said: “The Royal Navy puts a high value on STEM and so we are very happy to have the opportunity to visit schools around Argyll and Bute to promote the competition and help pupils with their projects.

“By getting involved in the project we hope that it sparks the children’s interest in STEM and maybe even leads to some considering a rewarding future career in engineering.”

The project involves pupils from different age groups building two types of model car – the first using shoe boxes and the second, more complex model, built using balsa wood, motors, circuitry and batteries.

Each school will then hold their own internal competition, putting the models to the test climbing up and rolling downhill to find the school winner.

The ten schools will enter their winning car at a Celebration Day at Dunoon Grammar School in May.

“It’s particularly appropriate that we’re running the competition now as 2018 is the Year of Engineering,” continued Lieutenant Commander Pinder.

“The UK still leads the world in sectors like aerospace and the automotive and the Royal Navy’s engineers are still at the heart of operations around the globe. We hope that young people continue to be interested in engineering and take the opportunity to shape the future of the world.”

To find out more about the Year of Engineering visit: http://www.yearofengineering.gov.uk.