Member Article

Success for young mechanics centre

A new £2 million facility to help train and educate young, unemployed people is thriving one year after completion, thanks to support from TyneWear Partnership. Youngsters aged between 14–25 have been training in motor mechanics and engineering at North Shields’ Northumbria Youth Action (NYA) project since it opened in 1992, but now trainees have the chance to learn in a new building complete with ‘real’ garage facilities and workshops. The new building, part of a two stage project funded in part by TyneWear Partnership through One NorthEast, also houses training rooms and offices for other courses including plumbing, welding and basic adult skills.

Steve King, NYA project manager, said: “I’ve been working at the centre for 14 years and only ever dreamed that we could work in such a superb building. It means we can train the lads and girls in a realistic setting, where they can get real hands on experience and prepare them for the outside world.”

Chris Thompson, chair of TyneWear Partnership, said: “Young people are the employees of tomorrow and we are delighted to be funding such an important and influential building for education. Facilities like this give trainees the best possible chance of success and the opportunity for a rewarding career in the future.”

To find out more about the courses, visit the Northumbria Youth Action website at www.northumbriayouthaction.org.uk. For further information on TyneWear Partnership and the projects it supports, visit www.tynewearpartnership.org.uk.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .