ENGINEERS who have been made redundant are being paid to study for a year in order to stop a North-East brain drain.

A leading academic said the region was already facing a shortage of young engineering talent before the downturn.

It has led to fears that an exodus of people who have lost their jobs could be a disadvantage to the region’s process and manufacturing industries when the economy recovers.

Teesside University and regional development agency One North East have worked together to create 62 burseries for a set of postgraduate courses.

The funds will pay for living expenses and tuition fees for a year and the courses are designed to enable students to keep looking for work.

Dr Paul Shelton, assistant dean from the School of Science and Technology at Teesside University, said although students from outside the region would be considered, the primary aim was keeping the best talent the region already had.

He said: “The bursaries are especially aimed at employees recently made redundant or whose jobs may be in an ‘at risk’ category.

“They can provide an upskilling sabbatical until the eventual upturn in the economy.

“It is absolutely critical that the people are available for businesses when the upturn does come.

“Even without the credit crunch the North-East was about to face a serious shortage.”

Because the courses are delivered in blocks, Dr Shelton said they would not preclude students looking for full-time employment or working part-time to top up their income.

Kim Wong, One North East’s innovation senior specialist, said: “By easing the financial burden for talented students, we hope to attract talent into the region and retain the talent we have already.

“By further increasing the skills level, the intention is that the region will reap the economic benefits when these students begin their working life inspired to work in the North-East.”

The bursaries are available for postgraduate study in advanced manufacturing systems, control and electronics, electronics and communications, environmental technology, process manufacturing management and computer aided engineering (design).

They are available to EU citizens with a 2:1 degree in a related subject.

Courses start in the University’s School of Science and Technology on Monday and are delivered as a series of intensive block weeks followed by periods of directed study.

For further details visit tees.ac.uk/sections/postgrad or email Dr Shelton at p.w.shelton@tees.ac.uk