A TRAINEE central heating engineer took time out from his studies to have a chat with a Government minister.

Nairn Middleton, 19, from South Shields is training on the Gas Industry National Training Organisation (Ginto) course at Newcastle College.

He and 15 other engineers on his course had a chance to meet Nick Brown, the new Minister for Work and Pensions, when he visited the college last week.

Nairn told Mr Brown about his work on the course, which provides both theory and practical training and guarantees trainees a job at the end if they perform well.

The course has been set up to meet the estimated national shortfall of 3,000 Corgi registered engineers.

It is run through the New Deal and allows people to train while still receiving benefits.