The first fruits of BMW Group's £22 million skills training programme at its Hams Hall, Warwickshire, engine plant have been harvested in the form of a batch of NVQ awards to employees.

The training scheme is being supported by Government grants totalling £11 million and operates in partnership with Tile Hill and Sutton Coldfield colleges.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, BMW board of management member Ernst Baumann said: 'By conducting work-based training through our own tailor-made programmes, we are well placed to tackle the skills shortages facing the manufacturing sector in the West Midlands.