A teenager has joined the junior board of a national engineering body in a groundbreaking move to encourage more young people to work in the industry.

Barking Abbey student Annika Verma, 13, was invited to take part in the first meeting of the junior board of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) along with nine other schoolchildren from across the country.

The youngsters discussed how to tackle skill shortages and how to make the industry appeal to young minds

Annika said: “I really enjoyed the day, because we got to discuss things that would benefit us and we were able to talk about our own ideas, which was really fun and cool.”

Naomi Climer, president of IET, said: “By listening to, and taking on board, young people’s ideas for modernisation and progression within the sector, we’re opening ourselves up to new approaches in the way we present engineering careers to the next generation and their parents.”