Marie-Noelle Barton, who heads an Engineering Council campaign to encourage girls into science and engineering, maintains that some of Britain's most successful women have had their careers — styled shaped built modelled by the toys they played with as children. Even girls who end — in by on up nowhere near a microchip or microscope could benefit from a better — hold grasp insight realisation of science and technology.

'It's a — matter situation state cause of giving them experience and confidence with technology so that when they are  — approached encountered presented offered with a situation requiring some technical know-how, they feel they can handle it and don't just — admit allow receive permit defeat immediately,' says Mrs Barton. 'I believe that lots of girls feel unsure of themselves when it comes — for to from with technology and therefore they might be losing out on jobs because they are reluctant even to apply for them.'

Research recently carried — off through forward out suggests that scientific and constructional toys should be — accesible feasible reachable obtainable to girls from an early age, otherwise the result is 'socialisation' into stereotypically female — characters parts states roles , which may explain why relatively few girls study science and engineering at university in Britain. Only 14% of those who have gone for engineering — options alternatives selections preferences at university this year are women, although this figure does represent an improvement on the 7% recorded some years ago.