South Shields pupils to be among the first cohort at the brand new Nissan Academy

Pupils from St Wilfred’s R.C. College, on Temple Park Road, will be able to study for a specialised engineering qualification alongside their GCSEs.

It is part of the new Nissan Academy which is aiming to bridge the gap between education and the world of work.

The Academy is in partnership with Sunderland College and will be based at the College’s City Campus in Sunderland city centre.

It means that pupils at St Wilfred’s R.C. College, which is part of the Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, will study for a Level 2 qualification in Engineering, the equivalent of a GCSE.

Upon graduating from the Nissan Academy, pupils will also receive a guaranteed unconditional offer to continue their education at Sunderland College as well as an apprenticeship assessment with Nissan.

Bredan Tapping, chief executive of the Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, has expressed his joy at the partnership between the school and Nissan.

He said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership to provide a blend of vocational learning and academic education.

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“This is an exciting opportunity providing pupils with not only great qualifications, and high-quality work experience, but also support to develop the attributes expected by future employers.

“This gives our students an advantage in an increasingly competitive jobs market, allowing them to be the best version of themselves.”

Supported by Sunderland College and a team of experts from Nissan, pupils will have the opportunity to hone the technical skills needed for a career in advanced manufacturing and engineering.

Nissan Academy students will split their time between the City Campus at Sunderland College and the Nissan plant, where they will benefit from access to industry experts, state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, as well as unique projects and experiences.

Michael Jude, HR director at Nissan plant, commented: “The students of today are the engineers and manufacturers of the cars of tomorrow and we are passionate about nurturing and refining the talent of the future.

“This partnership will benefit our plant as well as the wider supply chain as the North East region pushes towards becoming an electric vehicle manufacturing hub.”

The new partnership is being build on Nissan’s commitment to school engagement through the Nissan Skills Foundation.

In the last eight years, the Foundation has seen around 85,000 young people aged between nine and 18 attend one of their unique STEM activities.