A skills partnership between Nissan and Sunderland College that bridges the gap between education and the world of work has been launched.
The Nissan Academy, which will be based at the College’s City Campus, will see students study for a specialised engineering qualification alongside their GCSEs.
Supported by the College and a team of experts from Nissan, pupils will be able to hone the technical skills needed for a career in advanced manufacturing and engineering.
Upon successful completion of the programme, they will be guaranteed an apprenticeship assessment with Nissan.
Academy students will split their time between the college’s technical City Campus 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 Sunderland Plant, said: “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.”
Students will study for a level two qualification in engineering, the equivalent of a GCSE.
The new partnership will build on Nissan’s established and successful commitment to school engagement through the Nissan Skills Foundation.
Over the last eight years, the foundation has seen 85,000 young people aged between 9-18 attend one of their unique STEM activities.
The initial cohort will be from St Wilfred’s R.C. College who are part of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, with the level two qualification available to new students from September 2023.
Exciting time
Pupils will also receive a guaranteed unconditional offer to continue their education at Sunderland College upon graduating from the Academy.
The Nissan Academy comes at an exciting time for Nissan Sunderland Plant, which has just built its 11 millionth vehicle and is pushing forward with its EV36Zero project.
This exciting project consists of three main elements: a new electric vehicle, a 12GWh gigafactory with the company’s battery partner Envision AESC, and a microgrid to deliver 100% renewable energy to Nissan and suppliers, setting a blueprint for the future of the automotive industry.