CAR maker Nissan is taking on 100 more apprentices at its North-East plant as it gears up for the launch of a new model.

The Japanese group wants to recruit and train young people at its Sunderland plant as part of a £223m investment in the region.

The trainees will build its Qashqai, a combination of a 4x4 and a saloon car, which will go into production in December next year, as the plant celebrates 20 years of car manufacturing in the North-East.

Last September, the plant took on 100 apprentices to prepare for the launch of the Tone mini-MPV, which will start rolling off the assembly lines in January. The two models combined will increase production at the plant by an estimated 230,000 cars a year.

The workforce will increase to 4,500 and help support about 1,500 jobs in the wider regional supply chain.

Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK's managing director, Colin Dodge, said: "Including the trainees, we anticipate we will need to recruit around 400 additional staff to work on the two new models."

The 20-month manufacturing trainee scheme, which starts in September, will be run in partnership with the Automotive Sector Strategic Alliance (Assa) and Gateshead College.

Apprentices will spend 14 months at the college, working on NVQ qualifications, with time allocated for work placement at Europe's most efficient car plant.

The 100 will then transfer to Nissan as manufacturing trainees. After a further six months, they will become full-time staff, based in the plant's trim and chassis, body and paint shops.

Assa is looking to enrol 17 to 23-year-olds with at least 4 GCSE's of grade D or above, including maths and English.

Anyone interested is asked to contact Jobcentre Plus on 0191-451 3290, the Connexions Centre on 0800 073 8700, or visit the website, www.nissanrecruitment.co.uk