MORE than 1,200 students will get a chance to try out careers next week.

This year's Skillsfest event will take place on Wednesday and next Thursday at the Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate.

It aims to raise students' awareness of careers in bio-science, food and drink, agriculture and advanced engineering and manufacturing.

More than 80 companies will offer workshops and demonstrations.

The students, from secondary schools across North Yorkshire, will be able to try taking a cutting from a plant, putting together a short news item or film clip and using radio systems employed by the Army in a mini-obstacle course.

They will also be able to receive instructions from RAF Mountain Rescue officers on how to treat an ejected pilot and transfer them to safety, design a highway using Scalextric and test the quality of raw milk samples.

Skillsfest project manager Hazel Baker said: "The event offers a great chance for students to really understand the range of exciting opportunities available to them in the world of work and to have a taster of the kind of things they could be doing to earn a living."