First Minister Alex Salmond has officially opened Fraserburgh campus's new state-of-the-art welding facility.

An additional 100 engineering places at Banff and Buchan College have been created as a result.

Up to an extra £1m of the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) investment would increase student placed over the next two years.

The new facility, which received £500,000 funding from the SFC, will train welders at a variety of levels and provide the particular skills needed to work offshore. This year's students will be the first to train at the centre, which includes a virtual simulator.

Mr Salmond said: "The oil and gas industry relies on skilled and committed engineers and welders and this investment will help meet current demands on a sector that is vital for Scotland's economic growth.

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"This state of the art welding centre has been created as part of the Oil and Gas Academy that gives students the foundation for a life-long career through high quality education focussed on the skills employers need. This is an excellent example of how our colleges can respond to the opportunities closest to them, with Fraserburgh and the North East being an obvious choice for those considering a career in the energy sector.

"The significant interest in Banff and Buchan College shows that students value the opportunity to study in an area so intrinsically linked to one of our biggest sectors and to acquire the skills needed gain quality employment in the sector."

Paul Sherrington, Banff and Buchan Principal, added: "This additional investment from the Scottish Government comes at a critical and exciting time for us. Enrolments across the college are 25 per cent up compared to this time last year and are especially buoyant in engineering. We are now much better placed to meet the growing demand from learners and to address the need for skilled competent workers for the energy sector."

(JP/CD)