NEILSTON Development Trust (NDT) is helping aspiring mechanics to complete a vocational training course.

A number of East Renfrewshire pupils have been awarded their Level 3 Cycle Mechanics City and Guild certification following time spent training at the organisation’s Pedalwise bike hub in Rouken Glen Park.

Teenagers at St Ninian’s High in Giffnock and Mearns Castle High, Newton Mearns have achieved the feat in recent weeks.

NDT is working in collaboration with the council’s Schools Vocational programme to offer training to any youngsters studying at one of the local authority’s high schools.

Gerardo Ballesteros, lead NDT cycle mechanic, said: “City & Guilds is an industry-recognised qualification that can lead straight to a job in a growing cycle sector.

“We’ve had a great bunch of students and we’re grateful to Jillian Davis and East Renfrewshire’s Vocational programme team for supporting this course.

“We’re working with all the schools in East Renfrewshire to let pupils see that this is a course which is hands-on and offers the real prospect of a job.”

Jillian Davis, East Renfrewshire Council’s vocational coordinator, said: “The feedback we’ve received from teachers and students has been very positive with the bike hub workshop proving a popular training resource.

“We have more places available in 2017/18 and students at all schools in East Renfrewshire will have cycle mechanics available as one of the many excellent vocational options.”

Contact the trust on 0141 561 1201 for more details.