An event aimed at raising young people's aspirations in Tendring has been hailed a success and is to be repeated.

Around 50 pre-teen schoolchildren from across the District turned up to a new initiative staged to encourage them to strive for professional careers through university qualifications.

The fun day - which was a joint enterprise between Tendring District Council (TDC) and the University of Essex - was put on at Clacton's Princes Theatre at the weekend.

It was also an opportunity for parents and carers to find out more information about higher education.

Lucy Murray, Head of Outreach at the University of Essex, said it was wonderful to see so many people attending on Saturday.

"The University of Essex is committed to working with the local community and the aim of this event was to raise young people's aspirations and show them how learning can be fun and interactive," she said.

"It will be the first in a series of fun days across the Tendring area. Clacton has a very low rate of progression to university and with activities like these we can raise children's confidence in their learning and help them progress into higher education."

From 10am to 1pm children had the chance to build their own model wind turbine, try their hand at being a travel writer and discover more about fish - do they snore, how do they swim against the tide and are they faster than humans?

Stephen Mayzes, TDC's Cabinet Member for Tourism and Community Life, said: "The event was a huge success and gave children an opportunity to find out more about going to university and what it has to offer them whilst parents and carers had the chance to ask any questions they may have about what is involved in getting their child a place at university.

"I was really pleased how the scientists interacted with the children and demonstrated the many opportunities that university has to offer. I was so impressed that the children have agreed to display their work in the Town Hall entrance in a bid to encourage more children, parents and carers to think about the many options available to them.

"The whole idea of the exercise was to encourage and persuade parents and their children that university can be well within their grasp, both academically and financially.

"We wanted to dispel a number of the myths about university and for people to discover more about what their children can achieve in life - that they can reach the top and do the very best they can for themselves."

Cllr Mayzes said it is very important that TDC works with its partners, such as the University, to develop the aspirations of all young people.

"Only time will tell just how successful these events are but it is vital that we try to intervene now and influence our young people to aim for the top," he added.

"It was a great start and there will be more events like this to follow."

The University of Essex is looking to stage a similar event for the Harwich area later in 2012 and further days where local businesses and international companies based locally can also attend to develop the ideas.

23/1/12