This week over 900 students from 20 schools all over the North West are testing their innovation, teamwork and problem solving skills at the Science and Engineering Challenge.

On Tuesday year seven and eight students took on several challenges including building a bridge out of straw, tape and paper that can carry a dynamic load, creating a Mars Rover with plastic parts and rubber bands that can handle the red planet's surface, mixing renewable and non-renewable energy to light up a simulated city, and building a functional human hand.

The nationwide challenge is an initiative of the University of Newcastle, with Tamworth First Light Rotary Club helping out with the practicalities.

Challenge team leader Chris Hendry said "all activities are designed to show students the practical side of careers in science and engineering."

"We want to get more year 11 and 12 students electing higher level STEM subjects so if they choose to do science or engineering at university they have that background," he said.

"There is a worldwide shortage of STEM professionals, but more than that it also gives the students a really good set of tools for jobs that don't even exist yet - science and engineering are going to be critical to those pathways." 

While the students are competing against each other in all seven activities, they are also competing as a school against over 1000 other schools across Australia for a place in the state championships later in the year.

On Wednesday year nine and ten students will take on the challenge, before the Year five and six students have "discovery days" with watered down challenges on Thursday and Friday.