YOUNG technicians will have to be ship shape and ready for action as a new boss takes the helm of engineering at a North-East college.

Mike Elwell has been appointed head of engineering at Darlington College at a time of a global shortage of skilled tradesmen.

Billingham-born, the 37-year-old trained as an engineer in the Royal Navy working on the aircraft carrier HMS Invincible, the destroyer Manchester and mine-sweeper Leeds Castle - twice circumnavigating the globe.

After serving for nine years, he left the navy to become an air-conditioning engineer before starting his teaching career in the North-East.

“Learning my trade in the navy gave me the ability to think on my feet as when you are at sea you have to be able to solve major problems with limited engineering resources,” he said.

“Flying the flag on Invincible was fantastic and I visited just about every country in the world except Russia and Australia. One minute we were helping volcano victims, the next looking for pirates off the coast of Africa.”

His role at Darlington College will be to hone the skills of the next generation of modern engineers to help fill a global shortage of technical staff.

“Engineering has never been so exciting,” said Mike. “There are new technology-based engineering, such as solar and wind power technology which we are actively developing.

“We need to tap into youthful enthusiasm, to promote with new software and innovative equipment and technologies instead of the old fashioned stereotypical engineering.

“The youth of today need to understand that science, technology, engineering and mathematics are key elements.”