Building bridges with tomorrow’s engineers

Future engineers from Kincorth Academy put their design and construction skills to the test as they competed in the 14th annual bridge building competition, hosted by Petrofac, as part of its long-standing education-industry partnership.

The third year students used a computer-based design package, their engineering skills and materials supplied by Petrofac to construct balsa wood bridges to meet their project deadline, set by the education-industry partnership.

The judging took place at Petrofac’s Bridge View office, where a specialist panel assessed the design, weight, cost, build quality and strength of each bridge from the five teams in the final, with the winning structure withstanding a load of more than 40 kilogrammes.

The winning trophy, which will be on display at the school, and prizes were presented to the winning team, “Stewart Drummond Oil & Gas” (Lewis Booth, Ryan Gibson, Ben Forrest, Gemma Coutts, all 13 and Fraser Carnegy, 14).

Allan Tullock, Teacher at Kincorth Academy, said: “Petrofac Bridge Building is a unique event.  The students have thoroughly enjoyed their varied roles in design, construction, project management and presenting their bridges here today. The pupils are able to positively explore career options while utilising the skills they are currently learning within the classroom environment.”

Kenny Ferguson, Technical Delivery Director, Petrofac Offshore Projects and Operations added: “This year’s competition was one of the best to date with an incredible amount of talent being displayed by the students.  This competition provides an opportunity for young people to learn vital new skills such as meeting deadlines, presentation skills and working in teams that can be utilised in their future careers.”