CAR component maker Unipres is helping to tackle the skills gap in engineering by signing up to a new Industrial Cadets initiative, and doubling its number of apprentices.

Four schools have signed up to take part in the Industrial Cadets accreditation, which provides students aged between 11 and 19 with the opportunity to find out more about a career in engineering and helps to create a pipeline of skilled workers for the future.

Japanese-owned Unipres, which provides steel parts carmakers including Nissan, Renault and Honda, will be welcoming its first intake of Industrial Cadets from Castle View Enterprise Academy in Sunderland during the first week of July.

The intake of eight to 10 students, aged mainly 14 and 15, will come into the plant and learn about every aspect of the business.

John Cruddace, plant director of Sunderland-based, said: “This is the first time we have been involved in this initiative. It’s another step in the process to try to inspire kids to think about engineering as a career path – they may not want to go to university and may not know what they want to do when they leave school.

“It’s perfectly aligned to what we want to achieve and can help us to future-proof ourselves against skills shortages. They may decide to go into automotive or other areas of engineering, so the programme provides support not just for us, but for the sector as a whole.”

The Industrial Cadets will spend more than 32 hours in the plant, learning about the business from human resources and finance through to engineering and component manufacture. At the end of the week, they will give a presentation of their experiences.

Unipres has been based in Sunderland for 26 years and currently employs more than 1,100 people. Its efforts to encourage young people into engineering are already well-established through its strong apprenticeship programme, which is earmarked to increase from 10 to 20 apprentices this year.

As a key apprenticeship provider, the company is part of the national Trailblazer Apprenticeship programme and is part of the group developing key frameworks for industrial apprenticeships.

Mr Cruddace said: “The next national Trailblazer meeting will be held at Unipres in June. The aim is to make sure the framework for the apprenticeships matches industry’s needs in a more tailored way that becomes the UK standard. We look forward to welcoming the group to Sunderland.”

Sunderland City Council leader, Councillor Paul Watson, said: “Sunderland is a major hub in the national automotive sector and the efforts of companies like Unipres will only serve to increase our influence and attract new business to the area.”