Thousands of young people have scouted out a future in civil engineering after being guided through a selection of bridge building activities at Kent International Jamboree.
A team of engineers from the Rochester Bridge Trust hosted the activities, setting groups of young people the challenge of building a 17m long bridge they could walk across, or inviting individuals to make the strongest paper bridge.
Kate Castle, Bridge Programme Manager at the Trust said: “It’s been lots of fun meeting the young people and seeing how enthusiastically they worked alongside each other – often with people they didn’t know – to succeed in the engineering challenges.
“A highlight was watching the Guides and Scouts build paper bridges. Seeing them grasp the concepts and develop creative solutions was incredibly rewarding. They also embraced the challenge of our Let’s Build A Bridge! sessions, working in teams to construct the large structure and celebrating by walking across it.
“Kent International Jamboree was both inspiring and worthwhile, showcasing the enthusiasm and creativity of the young people while also being a great team-building opportunity for all of us!”
The Kent International Jamboree took place at the Kent Showground from 2-9 August 2025 and was attended by young people from across the UK and around the world, including Canada, Kenya and Europe. Participants were aged 10-17. This year’s theme was sustainability, which aligns with the Trust’s own environmental policy of maintaining its bridges at net zero carbon.
Helen Rowe, Bridge Project Manager at the Trust and herself a Guide and Ranger Leader, added: “Something we all noticed was how well suited all the participants were to our activities, as they all had practical skills that align perfectly with the attributes for engineering.”
For more information about the Rochester Bridge Trust’s education activities visit: www.rochesterbridgetrust.org.uk/learning-activities/lets-build-a-bridge/ or to find out about Kent International Jamboree see: www.kij.org.uk