Creating solar energy cells from fruit, welding with chocolate and testing model boats in a swimming pool were just some of the hands-on activities on offer at a day-long event to mark National Women in Engineering Day.

Held at Truro High School, nearly 150 girls from schools across the county took part in a range of interactive sessions designed to excite their interest in engineering as a career. To help them discover the many opportunities on offer, representatives from a number of different businesses and organisations were on hand to chat about their own experiences and demonstrate what their jobs involved.

Dr Rachel Nicholls-Lee, of Falmouth-based Whiskerstay, gave the day’s keynote speech before joining pupils to build and test model cargo ships in the school’s swimming pool. Now running her own business in the renewables sector, she explained that she had wanted to become an architect before careers advice when she was seventeen inspired her to do a degree in naval architecture at Southampton University instead.

“It was really hard work, I describe it as rocket science plus water,” she said. “When I moved into the engineering industry I did encounter sexism and sometimes still do. It’s a tough industry and as a woman you’ve really got to hold your own.”

The companies involved with the day were BRE National Solar Centre, Cornwall College, CORMAC, the RAF, the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Roseland Observatory, Falmouth Marine School, ZLC Energy, Whiskerstay, University of Exeter and IntecSEA.

The schools taking part were Truro High School, Polwhele House, Truro School, Richard Lander, Penryn College, Falmouth School, Roseland Community College, Redruth School, Mounts Bay Academy, Sir James Smith’s School, Mullion School and Humphry Davy School.