2018 IS the Year of Engineering - and I’m really looking forward to co-hosting a Festival of Engineering on November 9 with my friend and neighbouring MP, Richard Benyon.

We’ve signed up 18 businesses to come and give practical, hands-on talks to some 400 students from our secondary schools across north west Hampshire and west Berkshire.

The science, technology, engineering and maths industry in north west Hampshire is thriving and we are fortunate to have many businesses doing exciting things such as robotic packing for online shopping deliveries, making parts for the F-35 fighter jet and nuclear submarines and cutting edge illumination systems to help researchers and clinicians.

We need this to continue if our economy is to truly succeed in the years ahead, and both government and business have an important role to play in making sure we have access to a rich and diverse pool of home-grown skills and talent.

I’m pleased to say that boosting engineering across the UK is a big government priority and an important part of our industrial strategy.

For our kids, engineering is a fun and exciting career option and one that will be in big demand as we continue to see rapid advances in science and technology.

I’m proud to co-host this festival which will help educate and inspire our young people into fruitful and vibrant careers.

I hope it inspires everyone who attends, and in particular girls who currently make up just seven per cent of engineering graduates, to explore these opportunities further.

The festival, which is now fully booked, will take place at mechanical engineering firm Xtrac, in Thatcham.