YOUNG scientists and budding engineers from West Devon are celebrating, after winning a nation-wide engineering competition.

The competition is part of the national Engineering Education Scheme run by the Engineering Development Trust and involves teams of Year 12 students working with engineers and academics for six months to solve real life problems based on the needs of local companies.

The Tavistock College team of Sally Allison, Roger Blandford, Alex Langley and Tom Larcombe were delighted to win the competition, having designed a device that can lift and manoeuvre a fully laden computer racking system.

Tom said: 'I was stunned when they announced we had won. It was great to be set a challenge and exciting to tackle the process from design to a prototype.'

Tavistock College were joined with Rittal CSM, a Plymouth based company, who set the challenging design brief for a device that could fit under a gap of 40mm, lift almost one ton and cost less than £50 to produce. Such specifications gave the students an awareness of how a solution to an engineering problem develops from an initial idea to testing a prototype, and how to make recommendations for taking the project forward into production. All aspects of the design process had to be considered, including financial constraints.

Roger said: 'Working on the project has given me a good insight into the engineering industry. We had the constant support of our mentor from Rittal CSM, Neil Wylie, to guide us through all the stages of design and development which helped us to clarify our ideas and put them into the final product.

'In addition, the experience has developed both my team working and problem solving skills. I now feel more confident planning for my future career.

Linda Fuller, EDT Assistant Regional Director, based in Plymouth, said: 'The scheme is an amazing way to develop company staff and school teachers, but the real stars are the students who come up with innovative solutions. Those who get through it are leaps and bounds ahead of their peers because of the skills they learn. Many projects have a commercial value and have the potential to save companies thousands of pounds.'

College principal Helen Salmon said: 'I am very proud of this team. This demonstrates a high level of skill, knowledge and flair. These students could be the engineers of the future.'