I OFTEN mention learning and skills development in this column, especially in the context of preparing people for jobs in knowledge-based businesses.

Hardly anything can be more important than improving the skills and capabilities of the workforce in the modern world and, thereby, providing the opportunity for challenging and rewarding careers as well as building internationally competitive businesses.

Many of last week's 30 Festival Of Science and Technology events in the city were directed towards inspiring young people to prepare for work in science and technology based businesses, and also to help in the critical area of public understanding of science.

Two activities particularly caught my attention.

Firstly, there was the visit of Prime Minister Tony Blair to open the £11 million Wellcome Trust National Science Learning Centre (NSLC) at the University of York.

The York NSLC acts as the hub of a £51 million network of centres dedicated to revitalising science teaching in schools.

As Professor Brian Cantor, vice-chancellor of the University of York, said: "There can't be much that is more important for educationalists like us than helping to supply the next generation of scientists."

John Holman, director of the NSLC, added: "The National Science Learning Centre has been created with ambitious goals in mind; not least to help British teachers, technicians and classroom assistants to lead the world in science education by 2015."

What can be more important to the future economic prosperity of the UK than to ensure that, as expressed by Professor Holman, we become the global leader in science education? This will ensure that our young people are given the very best in education, training and skills development that will equip them to play their part in world-leading businesses.

This takes me on to the second event that caught my attention last week. While the NSLC relates to the teachers, this one was firmly centred around students.

It was the Schools Technology Tournament, organised by the Rotary Clubs of York at the National Railway Museum (NRM).

With resonances of the Great Egg Race, this was a competition where teams of four students were provided with a technological task to be accomplished within about four hours. This year, the competition was to design and build a gripping device so that "radioactive material" (a tennis ball!) could be safely handled from a distance.

The ball was to be picked up from a fully enclosed box with a front opening from a distance of 1.5 metres and then deposited centrally on a target area. Marks were awarded for teamwork, appraisal of the task, design, construction, and then performance of the test.

There were about 45 teams from York and North Yorkshire which, together with teachers, judges and Rotarians, gave the more than 300 people at the NRM a real buzz.

Brian Houghton, chairman of the joint clubs organising committee, said: "The students applied themselves to the task with great enthusiasm and produced some superb answers to the problem. "

One of the St Peter's School teams took the top competition prize - but only by a whisker.

The NSLC will help provide teachers with the knowledge, understanding and skills that they need to thrive in a technologically advanced society, but this will only be of value if there is an adequate feedstock of young people prepared to engage with science and technology.

On the evidence of the Rotary Schools Technology Tournament, there can be little doubt about this , and the potential exists to put this winning combination together to build and sustain future economic prosperity for the UK.

Updated: 10:28 Wednesday, March 22, 2006