Schoolgirls have been given a taste of plastering, bricklaying and hod carrying to tempt them into the male-dominated world of construction.

Ten pupils at Burgess Hill School for Girls joined builders on site at Shoreham Airport yesterday.

The Year 11 students were given a tour of the new air traffic control training centre being built by construction company Rok Brighton.

The firm, which recently built new classrooms and a sports pavilion at the school in Burgess Hill, organised the event as part of National Construction Week.

Liz Labourn, deputy headmistress, said: "Even though we are a girls school there's a lot of interest in technology and construction, as well as design and architecture. A lot of the girls are keen.

"The great thing about this was that it was a hands-on session, where they could go and see the site, and hopefully come back with a greater appreciation for what goes on."

Builders across the country are tackling the skills shortage in the construction industry by giving pupils an insight into the building world.

The aim is also to attract more women into the industry, amid claims girls feel there is a bias against them when it comes to traditionally maledominated jobs.

Celeste Wilson, of Rok Brighton, said: "The girls learned what it takes to be a surveyor or an architect, as well as the basic tools of the trade.

"They watched a plasterer in action and spent a lot of time with architect Nigel McMillan who designed the building."

More than two miles of cabling has so far been used in wiring the new training centre.

Mrs Labourn said: "I would not be surprised to see more girls on the building site. They are very pro getting into that side of business.

"They were very interested to go because a lot of their courses are about project management and design.

"I think girls' attitudes have changed. Girls now go for jobs that they'll enjoy and will earn them more money."

The national week of events follows warnings of a skills shortage in the building trade, with fewer young people choosing construction-related careers.

In 2005, research among 2,400 teenage girls found 70 per cent felt there was a gender bias against them when they were given careers advice, despite the girls themselves being keen to break gender stereotypes.

According to the Construction Industry Training Board the industry needs to recruit at least 76,000 people a year.