A group of 12 students from Heath Park School, Walsall and Eckington School, Chesterfield have been chosen to take part in the Government-backed programme, which has been established as part of EON's Engineering Academy (EA).

The EA was established in March this year to help combat a shortage of skilled engineers in the power industry, and has been designed to bring together technical and operational training from entry level through foundation degree, and up to chartered engineering qualifications.

The Young Apprenticeship Programme is a two-year course that takes place during the final two years of students' GCSEs, with the successful candidates spending a total of 50 days at EON with professional engineers to gain practical experience.