PUPILS from a north Durham school gained a valuable taste of engineering life last week, thanks to a visit to Washington-based training provider.

Students from Consett's Villa Real School – a mixed day school for pupils who have severe, profound, medical and complex learning difficulties – were able to work alongside Seta’s instructors and apprentices at the visit.

The Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5 pupils assisted with the design and manufacture of aluminium school nameplates in Seta’s workshops, and gained experience of using engineering equipment such as bench tools and CNC machines.

The visit was designed to help the pupils use problem solving skills, develop self-confidence and social skills, enhance their team working abilities and learn about the manufacturing process.

It followed a similar event held last year, during which pupils from the school worked with Seta apprentices to produce wine racks, bottle holders and fruit dishes made from recycled horse shoes.

Villa Real School is developing a partnership with Seta with the aim of holding similar work experience events every year.

A not-for-profit organisation, Seta delivers engineering and business apprenticeships, traineeships, study programmes and both standard and bespoke commercial training courses in subjects including mechanical engineering, maintenance engineering, welding, electrical engineering and health and safety.

Jill Hope, higher level teaching assistant at Villa Real School, said: “It is important for our pupils to experience what it is like in a workplace and to develop and learn skills which they can take with them beyond their school years.

“For some, however, visiting Seta may well be their only opportunity to experience a real workplace, so this experience will be taken away with them and remembered for a long time."

For more information visit www.seta.co.uk