STUDENTS who took part in yesterday’s Confederation of Guernsey Industry technology challenge have developed skills for life, according to the Bailiff.

Sir Geoffrey Rowland said he was very impressed with what Year 9 students from the island’s high schools had achieved.

In teams of five and on a strict time limit, they had to build a device that could lift as much sand as possible from a table.

The day’s first task was aimed at breaking the ice and although the students were given brief guidelines, they had to use their own initiative to make use of the materials they were given.

These included newspapers, cardboard and an abundance of Sellotape.

When tested, some structures collapsed, but others held more than 16lbs of sand.

‘I’m very impressed with what they have achieved – they have had to come up with ideas, and all the time the clock was ticking,’ said Sir Geoffrey.

‘Not being a person who can build anything, I’ve come here and seen them achieve something that I couldn’t do.

‘They are enhancing their skills in technology and teamwork and, more importantly, have to work under a time pressure. These are life skills that they have developed,’ he said.

Les Beaucamps student Nick Hill, 14, of the Guernsey Press team, said his colleagues had coped well with the day’s first challenge.

‘At the start we were stuck for ideas, but then we looked at what we had and improved our design – it was a success,’ he said.