Nissan in pupil workshop pledge as Qashqai production begins

The new vehicle will use an electric motor to power the wheels and a petrol engine to charge the battery

Car maker Nissan says it will put on workshops for children to enthuse the next generation of engineers as production of its new hybrid Qashqai model begins in Sunderland.

The firm said it would offer all North East youngsters workshop places to mark production of its third-generation of the compact SUV.

The Qashqai, which came out in 2006, is the plant's most successful car.

Nissan said it wanted to excite pupils about science and engineering careers.

More than three million Qashqais have been sold across Europe since the first model was introduced.

The firm said it had invested £400m into the Sunderland plant to support Qashqai production.

The Nissan Skills Foundation - which was started in 2014 - aims to encourage children aged between seven and 18 to consider careers in manufacturing.

Since it was set up, more than 65,000 young people from across the region have taken part in events, the firm said.

'Tough year'

Alan Johnson, Nissan vice president for manufacturing in the UK, said the Sunderland plant was built on "35 years of manufacturing excellence".

"We know it has been a tough year for young people, so we're using the launch of this next-generation car to step up our efforts to inspire the next-generation of manufacturing talent," he said.

"We want every child in the North East of England to have the opportunity to be inspired by the Nissan Skills Foundation."

The new vehicle will use an electric motor to power the wheels and a petrol engine to charge the car's battery.

Nissan's Sunderland plant opened in 1986 and employs about 7,000 people.

It also makes Juke and the electric Leaf models, but saw production paused last year when the coronavirus pandemic affected demand.