Keighley is rebuilding its reputation as a leading engineering town.

Job prospects for young engineers have never been so good for more than a decade.

The positive claims were made by Nigel Simpson. business development manager at Keighley and District Training Association (KADTAL)

He says that if "reliable indicators" were needed, the number of trainees now under KADTAL's guidance would be it.

More trainees are joining the Basic Sngineering course at Keighley College and subsequently finding jobs with firms across the district.

Mr Simpson says: "Job losses are usually well-documented but what is often missed is the steady growth in companies of all sizes.

"The cumulative effect is that the employment prospects for a young ,well-trained engineer have probably not been better for more than a decade."

Mr Simpson made the comments after presenting certificates to trainees attending the Basic Engineering (Modern Apprentices) NVQ Level 2 course.

He says that 22 out of the latest 30-strong batch of trainees have found jobs two months before the course finishes.

Trainees spend 11 months studying full-time at Keighley College then, after joining firms, continue college training one day a week throughout their apprenticeship.

Keighley's Single Regeneration Budget began funding the important first year of training in the late 1990s to help combat a worrying drop in the number of apprenticeships.

Most of the trainees are currently employed by local firms, including Landis Lund, of Eastburn, Wilkinson Pattern Makers, of Keighley, and Pennine Fibres, of Denholme.

Mr Simpson says many of the area's best-known companies, such as NSF, DSG Lathes and Gesipa, are expanding.

Others like Aireworth Engineering have moved to the Keighley area to take advantage of local skills and smaller companies, such as John Feather or Grainger Engineering, are seeing potential in new areas of work.

Richard Hole, managing director of DSG Lathes, Pitt Street, says the firm has taken on one apprentice and intends to employ more in future years.

He believes the tide is turning for engineering. "It's a fairly modest pick-up after a lean period," he says.

"We've had one of the worst recessions in the industry over the past 12 months. We're one of the only machine tools firms that hasn't laid off anyone.

Ingrow firm NSF has increased its workforce from 55 to 75 in the past three years and plans to take on two apprentices soon.

Commercial manager Roy Whitaker says: "It's certainly a long-term aim. To look after the future of the company, we need to take on new blood."

Tony Allsop, of Aireworth Engineering in Parson Street, hopes to take on an apprentice soon to replace a retiring worker.

Dalton Lane firm John Feather is expanding its premises and took on two extra workers last year in move into crane building.

Spokesman Peter Armstrong says: "We will definitely hold our own."

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