TEACHER Jim Smith put skills picked up during seven years at motor manufacturer Nissan to good effect in his new role in education.

His efforts to give pupils a basic grounding in the world of engineering saw him collect a national accolade for good practice in the classroom.

Mr Smith was presented with one of a dozen awards from the Campaign to Promote Engineering, run by the Institution of Electrical Engineers.

He picked up a £100 prize and a framed certificate at a ceremony at the Midlands Engineering Centre, in Birmingham, recognition for helping to encourage pupils to adopt the problem-solving attitudes he came across in motor manufacturing.

Although now deputy head at Murton Primary School, east Durham, Mr Smith was nominated for the award by John Monkman, a governor at his previous school, St Francis Juniors, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

While at St Francis, teams of pupils at the school fared well in national engineering projects and competitions.

Mr Smith said it was more the way he managed to persuade children to work that seems to have proved successful.

"There are time and cost restrictions, and the difficulties of the practicalities of carrying out these projects, as there are only so many things you can do with bits of woods and elastic bands.

"I think it's the way I worked with the children, helping them in problem-solving exercises to bring in an attitude which gets them ready to work in industry."

He spent time in several departments at the Nissan plant on Wearside, reaching the rank of admin officer.

But he decided on a career change eight years ago, partly through his involvement in coaching youngsters at rugby. After enjoying teaching new skills to children he decided to teach full-time.