Woodfarm engineers take on the world

The four-strong East Renfrewshire team, sponsored by recruitment firm The Brightwork Group, took the title in the national finals in Warwick with their firm grasp of modern engineering.

The challenge involves designing and building a radio-controlled 4 wheel drive vehicle to set specifications - the models are then put to the test on a track to emulate the movements of a full scale 4x4.

Team leader Shaun Gaffney (16), who is considering a career in engineering, said: “Engineers are at the root of the achievements of the modern world and challenges such as this will inspire more schoolchildren to view engineering as a worthwhile, productive and sustainable career.”

The group - Shaun, Joy Merriweather, Ross Oxbrugh and Saboor Rashid, with help from Woodfarm’s Dr Simon Hadfield - will now go up against teams from Japan, Australia and Brazil for the world finals in June.

Shan Saba, director at Glasgow company Brightwork, added his congratulations, commenting: “What a fantastic result for the Woodfarm team.

“There were a few bumps and crashes along the way but the team impressed the judges with not only their links to industry but also their innovative use of technology.

“The Schools Challenge is an excellent way of developing the engineering skills which will be so important to the country’s future.”