A major piece of the jigsaw in the battle to keep the next generation of talent in Gloucestershire has been put in place, according to the county's engineering sector.

For years company's wanting to train their staff to degree level have had to send their workers out of the county, and many seeking such qualifications have never returned.

Now the business-led training company GET and the University of Gloucestershire have announced a breakthrough partnership which will see them team up to deliver engineering degree apprenticeships.

Chris Pockett, head of communications for Renishaw - one of the county's highest profile and most success engineering firms - said: "Any additional apprenticeship provision is welcome. As a company we are already offering degree level apprenticeships.

"Anything that helps bridge the skills gap in the county is welcome, especially given such a strong engineering heritage here in Gloucestershire."

The partnership will provide new opportunities for apprentices who are studying engineering through GET to be able to progress on the Level 6 engineering apprenticeships at the university, which is based in Gloucester and Cheltenham.

All of which means they will be able to achieve a full degree qualification in engineering.

New undergraduate engineering courses will start at the university's Park Campus in Cheltenham in September 2019.

Gloucestershire Engineering Training (GET), which is headquartered off Corinium Avenue, Gloucester and serves numerous county firms, has been designing and delivering engineering programmes for 40 years.

This new relationship has been formally cemented in a memorandum of understanding signed by the university's vice chancellor Stephen Marston and chief executive of GET, Linsey Temple.

Mr Marston said: "GET has an excellent reputation for their apprenticeship programmes, designed and delivered with some of the top engineering companies in Gloucestershire.

"The university will build on and complement that great tradition by offering people the opportunity to go a step further in their professional development, to achieve a full honours degree qualification.

"This is a big further step towards that goal, given the importance of the engineering and advanced manufacturing sector in Gloucestershire. By helping companies meet their needs for skilled and qualified staff, we can further boost growth, jobs and productivity in the county."

Ms Temple said: "GET set itself the mission of being the hub of engineering training expertise in the country by offering our customers a one stop shop facility for all their engineering training needs.

"GET has a long history of delivering programmes at levels two and three and more recently over the past decade offering programmes at levels four and five.

"We are pleased to work with the local university to complete the process by now being in a position to also offer programmes at levels six and seven.

"Individuals can enter and exit learning at whatever level is relevant for them. It also offers businesses the flexibility of being able to support employees across a range of skill and ability levels within the organisation.

"This partnership enables us to respond to the needs and demands of the businesses within our county without the need of using provision from neighbouring counties which is great for the economy and businesses within Gloucestershire."