'Actually making something gives me satisfaction'

Apprentice Josh Yung enjoys a pasty in the Spiral UK factory in Helston

Young people in Cornwall are being encouraged to try a career in engineering and manufacturing instead of the county's established industries of tourism, farming and fishing.

Eric Nicholls runs Spiral UK which employs 35 people making Spiral staircases in Helston.

He said: "People who think Cornwall is just tourism and fishing would be very wrong, manufacturing is a fantastic sector and there's a lot that goes on."

Josh Yung, 22 has completed two years as an apprentice there and said " actually making something gives me satisfaction".

'Enthusiasm'

Mr Yung added: "Seeing something go from start to finish like massive staircases worth over a million pounds go out of the factory is really good."

Cornwall's manufacturing sector employs more than 16,000 people according the the county's manufacturers' group.

It said there were 1,360 companies make things in Cornwall contributing 9% of the output which is around £1bn.

Some manufacturers have been holding open days for local colleges to try and attract more young people into the sector.

The head of a farm machinery factory said it was up to employers to "give young people enthusiasm for engineering."

Students from a local college get a tour of the factory

Teagle Farm Machinery in St Agnes near Truro

Teagle Farm Machinery based in St Agnes near Truro exports to around 45 countries and employed 16 new full time apprentices every year.

Managing Director Tom Teagle said: "We need to give young people enthusiasm for engineering and then offer good quality career progression when the apprenticeships are complete."

Mr. Teagle said: " You get out what you put in, we work hard with local colleges to make sure apprentices stay focused and they get to work in lots of different departments to keep it interesting."

Cutting machines cut the shapes for a spiral staircase in Helston.

Jack Robertson completed a four year apprenticeship at Teagle studying one day a week at Truro and Penwith College.

He said: "I'm now here as a full time production engineer, I also step in as a supervisor... dealing with the guys on the shop floor making sure everything is right."

"Younger people these days might not think this is very cool, they might think it's dirty with heavy lifting but we think it's cool working with these big machines and seeing the products go out of the factory door."