A historic building converted into a £100,000 training facility at Yorkshire-based Tees Components has been officially opened by Mary Lanigan, the leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council.

The family-run engineering firm has equipped the facility with STEM-standard equipment, as it continues to increase the number of apprentices it recruits each year as well as supporting the up-skilling of its existing workforce.

Situated on Tees Components’ six-acre site at North Skelton, the 19th-century building was formerly a milling shop for an ironstone mine.

The development includes seven training stations, which feature manual and CNC turning, manual and CNC milling, surface grinding and bench work, as well as two new machine tools for the training facility — an XYZ CNC milling machine and a Colchester Harrison M300 manual lathe.

There is also a classroom area with IT facilities.

Tees Components (www.teescomponents.co.uk) has previously recruited two apprentices per year on average, but it has taken on four this year.

The company is now encouraging Year 11 students completing their GCSEs next year to submit their CVs.

Tees Components recognises the value of practical training, with 40% of its skilled workforce and much of its management team starting out as apprentices.

The company is dedicated to the continual development of its workforce and all staff are given the opportunity to develop their skills base in several areas.

The company’s focus on skills development and career opportunities also extends beyond its own operations.

It is very active in the local community, providing work experience placements and tours of its facilities for local school-children, while its apprentices regularly attend skills fairs and act as ambassadors for STEM careers and apprenticeship training.