STUDENTS Saffie Heselton and Bethan Lynas have given their stamp of approval to a new Government campaign to get more females studying and working in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

The teenagers are the only girls studying engineering on Redcar and Cleveland College’s Expressway Routes programme, which is a special two-year course for Year 10 and 11 school pupils designed to introduce them to the sector from an early age.

They said the opportunity to study BTEC Levels 1 and 2 in engineering at the college through a day release partnership with their schools was something they did not want to miss and they hoped more girls considered working in the industry in future.

Redcar and Cleveland College principal Gary Groom has pledged to support the Government’s new Your Life campaign, with the aim of doubling the number of people studying STEM subjects by 2030.

Gary said: “We are working closely with businesses to help meet their needs through a variety of college courses, including our unique Expressways programme, so we were delighted when Government announced its own campaign to boost the number of people studying STEM subjects, particularly girls.

“We have pledged to support the campaign by continuing to expand the range of further and higher education courses we offer to students in the STEM subjects and by working with schools even more to help educate young people about the great opportunities out there.

“Saffie and Bethan are excellent examples of young girls who see a wonderful career possibility ahead and are going for it and we are giving them everything they need to succeed. We are very proud of them - they are real trailblazers.”

Saffie, 14, from Brotton, east Cleveland, said: “I hope the campaign works because there are definitely too few women working in these sectors.”

Bethan, 15, from Guisborough, said: “More girls should definitely get involved in the STEM subjects. There are so many opportunities to travel, which really interests me,”