Sunderland College and Nissan partnership offers students pathway

The scheme, involving Nissan, Sunderland College, and St Wilfrid’s RC College, offers Year 11 students a Level 2 engineering qualification alongside their GCSEs, combining classroom learning with hands-on industry experience.

Paul Given, senior assistant headteacher at St Wilfrid’s, said: “This is a fantastic partnership providing a blend of vocational learning and academic education.

“It’s an exciting opportunity providing pupils with great qualifications, high-quality work experience, and support to develop the attributes expected by future employers, giving our students a real advantage in an increasingly competitive jobs market.”Erin and Leo at Sunderland College (Image: Elliot Nichol Photo)

Students spend two days per week at Sunderland College, developing practical engineering skills, and three days at school for their GCSE studies.

The programme includes regular visits to Nissan, where students gain insight into the workplace and access to industry experts and modern equipment.

The partnership began in 2023, and the current Year 11 cohort is the first to complete the programme.

More than 75 per cent of the students have applied to Nissan’s apprenticeship scheme and are awaiting interviews.

Those who complete the programme are guaranteed an apprenticeship interview with Nissan and an unconditional offer to continue their studies at Sunderland College.

Other students are considering sixth form or T Levels in engineering at Sunderland College’s City Campus.

Year 10 students have spoken about the impact of the programme.

Evan said: “It’s amazing seeing how many parts go into one car. I didn’t realise how much teamwork it takes.”

Ellie said: “I’ve learnt that engineering isn’t just for boys or just about cars – it’s loads of different things.”

Erin said: “Talking to a female engineer from Nissan made me realise I could do this too.”

Leo added: “It’s cool that a massive company like Nissan cares what we think at our age.”

Sonya Anderson, campus principal for Sunderland College’s City Campus, said: “The Nissan Skills Academy is an excellent partnership that bridges the gap between education and the world of work and prepares young people for an exciting career in engineering.

“We are proud to see St Wilfrid’s pupils progressing to apprenticeships at Nissan and technical courses at Sunderland College, equipped with the skills and hands-on experience needed to thrive in the engineering sector.”

St Wilfrid’s runs a similar programme with GenToo, offering students the opportunity to study construction alongside their GCSEs.

The scheme guarantees an apprenticeship interview with GenToo upon completion.

Like the Nissan partnership, the current Year 11 cohort is the first to complete the programme and is now applying for apprenticeships.