Almost 100 new apprentices and graduates have taken up roles at Tata Steel’s (www.tatasteeleurope.com) facilities in Llanwern, Caerphilly, Port Talbot and other sites in Wales and the UK, as the company looks to build a robust and sustainable business.

The new recruits mean that Tata Steel now has nearly 300 apprentices and more than 60 graduate trainees in the UK.

Huw Mathias, training delivery manager, said: “These new apprentices and graduates will be our engineers and leaders of the future, supporting our focus on supplying high-quality and innovative steel products for manufacturers in the UK and around the world.

“I look forward to watching our new cohort, as they develop their skills and careers.”

Last month Tata announced a joint venture with German company Thyssen Krupp. Talks between the two firms have been on-going since Tata announced plans last year to sell its entire UK operation, but it is believed that the new agreement has protected jobs in Wales and elsewhere in the UK.