6 February 2012 Last updated at 13:52 ET

Sellafield provides £25m to train nuclear apprentices

The Sellafield Nuclear Plant is on the west coast of Cumbria

A Cumbrian company has been awarded £25m to train about 80 apprentices a year to be nuclear workers.

Gen II, based in Workington and Carlisle, won the contract with Sellafield Ltd to provide training and apprenticeships for up to eight years.

Under the agreement, training will take place at the Energus training centre, Lillyhall.

MP Jamie Reed said the deal confirmed that "West Cumbria is a centre for excellence in nuclear power".

The company will provide foundation degrees in various nuclear disciplines plus short courses in subjects ranging from safety to technical areas.

Mr Reed said: "This is excellent news and is recognition of the superb job that GEN II has done for the past 13 years in skilling-up a new generation of nuclear workers."