Nissan is to take on 100 trainees after announcing it is to build a new model at its Wearside site.

Last week, the company revealed its Sunderland plant would be building a production version of the Tone, a small people carrier.

Now Nissan has announced the launch of a manufacturing staff trainee scheme, for which 100 trainees will be enrolled on a 20-month programme. It also expects to recruit around 200 extra staff to work on the new model.

Trainees joining the scheme will be employed by the Automotive Sector Strategic Alliance (ASSA) for the first 14 months of the programme.

It is expected they will transfer to a permanent Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK Ltd contract as trainee manufacturing staff for the final six months of the scheme after which they will become manufacturing staff.

The scheme starts in November and will enrol GCSE-educated 16-23-year-olds.

The scheme has been developed with Gateshead College.