Five North Yorkshire teenagers have been chosen to join the MoD at RAF Menwith Hill, near Harrogate, under a Modern Apprenticeship programme.

Christopher Clough, 16, from Pateley Bridge; James Hare, 18, from Boston Spa; Andrew Tucknott, 18, from Harrogate; David Perkins, 19, from Knaresborough; and Thomas Holmes, 16, from Skipton, are taking Modern Apprenticeships in painting and decorating, plumbing and electrical engineering.

They are benefiting from a £96 million budget given to the Learning And Skills Council North Yorkshire to fund and raise the standard of post-16 education and training in the area.

Its key objectives include: to encourage more young people to stay on in learning; to attract more and a wider range of people to take part; to increase the proportion of people gaining qualifications; to provide opportunities for individual career development and to support the growth of the local economy.

The apprentices, all of whom want to go on to do degrees, supported by their employers, are already earning £8,900 a year, have all their clothing and tools paid for plus travel to college paid.

Steve Hill, MoD training liaison officer at the base, said: "There's a real skills shortage for quality craft employees and Modern Apprenticeships are a winner for everyone involved."

Kevin Marrow, of the learning and skills council, said: "RAF Menwith Hill is showing the way in which employers can tackle what is a national skills shortage."

Andy Tucknott summed up the views of the five: "It's really fun, I'm going to get all the qualifications I need - but I won't have a big fat debt from university."

For information about Modern Apprenticeships phone free on 0800 515547.

Updated: 14:40 Tuesday, December 16, 2003