TAVISTOCK College sixth former Rebecca Leithall is flying out to Finland this summer as part of a new drive to attract more girls into the male dominated world of science and engineering.

Rebecca is helping to spearhead a new initiative by SEMTA, the Skills Sector Council for science, engineering and technology.

She will spend a week in a Finnish study centre with 19 other students who will be given an insight into the international scope of science and engineering. The initiative ?Insight 2004? is also offering 500 female maths and science ?A? level students week long residential courses at UK universities.

Angela Townsend from SEMTA said young women interested in science and maths may not have considered engineering as a future career. ?We want to change all of that by encouraging more female ?A? level students to come along for the week and see that the sky is the limit.?