Bridges, the top flight company based on the Westfield Industrial Estate has launched a new training course for the region's electrical engineers funded by a bumper £100,000 cash injection from his West of England Combined Authority.

Thirty local workers will take part in the free courses in which they will work towards gaining new qualifications enabling them to work in `Hazardous Areas' in the utilities and water industries.

The courses are fully funded by the Metro Mayor who is working with Bridges Electrical Engineers to deliver the training.

Participants will get hands-on experience of working in potentially dangerous environments within Bridges' purpose-built New Engineering Academy to learn how to keep themselves and others safe. Within the Academy, there are practical working pods replicating real-life scenarios to test learners' new skills..

At the end of the course successful participants will be fully prepared to go on to receive industry-recognised `CompEx` certification which will help them to get good skilled jobs in an expanding sector.

Speaking at the launch, Metro Mayor Dan Norris said: "I'm a jobs first mayor, so I'm pleased residents are benefitting from top-notch training. I've refocused training support so local people can gain new skills in important sectors like sustainable construction, logistics and engineering. These practical, high-skilled jobs are vital for our economy thrive."

Chris Maddox, People and Client Director at Bridges Electrical Engineers, who developed and are delivering the courses, said: "Our new Engineering Academy and our CompEx Boot Camps are a real demonstration of how we at Bridges live our values of Safe People, Happy People and Sustainable Business. This investment in people and facilities is creating new opportunities for local people, developing more technical talent, and bringing work from outside the region to benefit the Somerset economy".