Some major engineering companies have put on an event in Tasmania to get high-schoolers excited about a future in engineering.

Grade 10 students from across the state got an insight into engineering at the University of Tasmania’s Cradle Coast Campus at Burnie, and were treated to a visit to mining equipment manufacturer Caterpillar Underground Mining.

Despite the Burnie campus not actually having an Engineering Faculty, companies such as Caterpillar and Haulmax say there is a great need for students with engineering qualifications in the state.

Students built robots and visited the town’s huge Caterpillar plant. Anton Kole, a member of Engineers Australia, Tasmanian Division, took the students on an audio-visual ride through 4000 years of engineering, from the first man-made fire to developing the bionic ear.

The Uni’s ‘Engineering Futures’ day was a reportedly a valuable learning experience for the students normally cut off from high-level industry-sponsored academic encouragement events. The industry representatives say they are now considering similar engineering days at other remote and regional educational institutions.