A KEIGHLEY company is hosting an innovative event as the latest Bradford Manufacturing Weeks gets underway.

Byworth Boilers is the venue for day one of a challenge in which secondary school pupils are being tasked with building fully-electric-powered go-karts.

The students, aged between 11 and 16, are creating the designs – including body panels in their team colours – and deploying various manufacturing techniques to build the mini vehicles.

Partnering in the initiative is SkillsHouse, a Bradford-based conglomeration of education and training organisations.

Byworth Boilers – based in Parkwood Street – hosts the challenge on Thursday, October 17, before the focus moves to Bradford College engineering department the following day.

The college's engineering department was the venue for an event marking the launch of Bradford Manufacturing Weeks, which brings together manufacturers, education institutions and young people.

As part of the Manufacturing Weeks venture there will be tours, work placements, seminars, exhibitions and learning events at company premises and other locations across the district.

The programme – spearheaded by West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce and SkillsHouse – has been hugely expanded compared to previous years, and will run until next March.

Guests at the launch event were welcomed by West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce chief executive James Mason, before they learned more about Bradford Manufacturing Weeks.

Over the years, the scheme has connected 15,000 students in the region to the manufacturing industry, helping to kickstart many careers across the sector.

James Haigh, business development and engagement manager at Bradford College, says: "We were very proud to host the team at West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce to officially mark the start of Bradford Manufacturing Weeks.

"We cannot wait to run the special event we have planned with our friends and curriculum partners at Byworth Boilers Ltd for schools in the district as part of the celebrations. Alisha Bell at Byworth Boilers is an award-winning female engineer, so an inspiration to our students."

Mark Cowgill, who is president of Bradford Chamber of Commerce, says: "Bradford district has one of the finest manufacturing sectors in the country, and Bradford Manufacturing Weeks has done so much good work in giving it new blood. Manufacturing can offer you a well-paid, secure and incredibly interesting career that can take your work across the planet."

For further information about Bradford Manufacturing Weeks and details of how to get involved, go to wnychamber.co.uk