Future designers, engineers, manufacturers and ‘marketers’ demonstrated their environmental credentials when they entered the Hyde Group Make It Enterprising Schools Challenge. The 13- and 14-year-old boys and girls from High Schools across Manchester competed to create and market a world-beating eco-vehicle for land, sea or air. This event took place at Wellacre Technology College, which is one of the first specialist High Schools in the country to offer the new Diploma in Manufacturing and Product Design.

Each team of teenagers established a mini manufacturing company for the day to develop, design and cost their ideas, before pitching them to a panel of business investment ‘dragons’ from the Hyde Group and Salford University. The winners — a multi-school team called Riot Rhino Police Protection — developed a fuel-efficient crime-fighting vehicle in the shape of a rhinoceros.

Nicola Eagleton-Crowther, of the Manufacturing Institute, said: “The recession has demonstrated how crucial manufacturing and engineering are to our economy, and it’s essential that we attract the brightest young people to work in the sector. The Make It campaign introduces teenagers to the real and exciting opportunities of modern industry. All the teams came up with some brilliant designs and marketing campaigns, and we were delighted by their enthusiasm and performance.”

The picture shows Sarah Stott and Jack Taylor of the Riot Rhino Police Protection team. For more information, visit the Web site (www.makeit.org.uk).