A CONSTRUCTION group helping to pioneer new building methods has started a training division to help combat a skills shortage in the industry.

MMP, which moved from Bishop Auckland to Newton Aycliffe, both County Durham, and expanded its workforce by 100 in the past year, has already attracted the attention of oil company Shell, which has expressed an interest in using the training division.

MMP has invested more than £150,000 in the division, which is expected to open to local training providers, colleges and companies next week.

The facility is in the new 65,000sq ft Newton Aycliffe factory that already houses MMP's other divisions, Metek Building Systems, construction, joinery and shopfitting, plastering and drylining and finishings.

MMP has been pioneering the use of off-site construction in the region, making the process quicker, safer and enabling quality-testing in the factory.

Chairman Michael O'Connell said: "There is a serious skills shortage and this is the first bespoke training facility of its kind in the north of England, so we hope it will prove popular.

"Before, many construction training providers had to use hotels to deliver training, and erect scaffolding in the hotel car park to train the workforce which, of course, was weather-dependent.

The division will be led by Glyn Neasham, who has worked for MMP as health, safety and training manager since joining the company in July 2003.

He said: "This new division is a fantastic opportunity for the MMP Group. We made the decision to set up the division in light of the fact that we felt the training facilities in this region were lacking to such an extent that it was becoming extremely difficult for us to affordably source adequate training for our staff, which is needed to develop their careers.

"There is a real need for training facilities in the region and we are hoping that as the first of its kind in the region, it will enable many more skilled workers to become fully qualified and up to date with the necessary regulations in their particular industry, be it anything from construction to the emergency services."