A TRAINING charity says it has welcomed a record number of young people to its apprenticeships and learning programmes.

The TTE Technical Training Group, in South Bank, near Middlesbrough, revealed more than 350 youngsters from across Teesside have started engineering courses.

Bosses said they have been able to increase their intake due to its continued success in commercial UK and international training markets.

The charity provides specialist training to support the oil, gas, manufacturing, process and chemical industries, reinvesting surpluses alongside Government funding into its courses.

Steve Grant, TTE managing director, said: “We do our very best to take on as many young people as possible and I’m extremely proud we have managed to welcome our largest intake yet.

“It’s encouraging to see demand for apprenticeships is increasing, and each year we receive more applications than the last.

“We are committed to developing a future workforce with the necessary skills and competencies to fill the ever increasing skills gap.

“We would like to accept even more trainees and with the support of local businesses we can continue to expand the training we offer and provide highly-skilled workers for years to come.”