STUDENTS have been given a State-side experience to broaden their international knowledge of industry.

Nine teenagers from Redcar and Cleveland College, who are studying engineering, visited Cleveland State Community College in Tennessee, US, as part of a ten-day robotics course.

The course, which focused on industrial robotics and is delivered at the US College's Robotics Lab, supports their engineering training.

Arranged by Redcar and Cleveland College, the visit was sponsored by education and industry, including the Sir William Turner Fund and Cleveland Community Foundation.

Part-funding was also provided by the college and TTE management and technical training with a small donation paid for by the students.

Outside of the college the students took part in a number of industrial visits to some of the world's leading companies.

One visit took them to Coca-Cola's bottling plant followed by the M&Ms and Mars factory to see its advanced computerised systems.

During their stay in Tennessee the students took part in a hiking trip across one of the state's large canyons, staying overnight in a traditional log cabin.

Redcar and Cleveland College established the partnership with Cleveland State Community College eight years ago.

Each year Redcar and Cleveland College take a group of students to Tennessee to enhance their learning experience.

Tutor Neil Walker who accompanies the young people to the US,said: "This is a truly amazing project for the students who are able to enhance their learning by experiencing a different culture and international industry.

"All of the students benefited from the robotics course, but also from discovering the real American culture and not just what they have seen on television or in the cinema."