Work has started on a £9.5m scheme to transform Northumberland College.

A new state-of-the-art engineering workshop is set to be completed by this summer.

It will be home to the college’s training centre for advanced manufacturing, which will prepare young people for careers in research and development, automative, and aerospace industries.

Work has also started on a new teaching block and a tractor workshop, both of which should be ready for use later this year.

Stuart Cutforth, principal of the college, said: “We are very excited. The new facilities will greatly enhance the teaching and learning facilities for our students and local employers.

“The new engineering workshop will provide training to meet the demands of growing industries in our region.”

Main pic: Stuart Cutforth, principal of Northumberland College, and Andy McLeod, managing director of the construction firm doing the work, Robertson