A new apprenticeship funding has been announced to encourage school leavers in Northumberland to join the heating industry.

The Low Carbon Heating Technician Apprenticeship (LCHTA) was chosen by the heating industry to mark King Charles III’s Coronation to combat the climate crisis.

Apprentices, employers, and training providers will benefit from the new funding.

The training will be 95 per cent to 100 per cent funded, creating grants for prospective apprentices.

LCHTA will be available for students from the start of the new academic year in September.

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Allocated one of the highest funding bands by the Department for Education, training providers will receive up to £22,000 for every apprentice.

This comes as research revealed that there has been a 41 per cent decline in the number of new apprenticeship starts for people under the age of 19 since 2017.

The apprenticeship funding aims to tackle the skills shortage in the sector.

The funding boost was welcomed by the trade association OFTEC.

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Malcolm Farrow, head of public affairs at OFTEC, said: "We welcome this new apprenticeship funding which will provide more opportunities for school leavers to embark on a career in the heating industry.

"Apprenticeships deliver huge opportunities for both students and employees which is why we are offering apprentices who work for an OFTEC registered business their own free registration for the first year."