A NORTH-EAST bus firm has revealed it will be taking on its next set of apprentices - with recruitment beginning in September.

Go North East, which has depots across the region including at Chester-le-Street, Consett, Sunderland and Gateshead, has said it plans to take on more this year.

The firm said more first year engineering apprentices will be drafted in to join its 250-strong team of engineers at its depots.

SEE MORE: Amazon is recruiting for apprentices to work in Durham and Darlington

It said around 90 per cent of its engineers had originally started out as apprentices, with 19 of the 250 engineers currently training.

It comes as Go North East said it is celebrating its apprentice engineers as part of National Apprenticeship Week.

Colin Barnes, the company’s engineering director who started at the company when he was 17-years-old, said it remained vital in recruiting "top young talent."

SEE MORE: Pictures of Durham Bus Station over the years as it prepares for demolition

He said: “We recognise that there is a shortage of skilled engineering people and that apprenticeships are vital in recruiting top young talent.

“Our apprenticeships are designed to provide an increased amount of on the job training and give youngsters the best chance to develop a career with us.”

Go North East said recruitment is expected to begin with first year apprenticeship roles in September 2021.

A spokesperson added: "The company is also looking ahead to September where it plans to take on more first year apprentices, which will be part of a drive from Go-Ahead, Go North East’s parent company, to hire more than 1,100 apprentices across its bus and rail companies in 2021."