Liskeard School and Community College has formed a link with Lostwithiel-based Restormel CNC Engineering.

The school invited Jim Underwood, director of the company, to visit its engineering department.

Rob Meier, the school’s head of engineering, said: ‘We are a specialist engineering college and it’s really exciting to be linking with a cutting-edge company which is making specialist machined components here in South East Cornwall.

‘Our students will gain access to industry- standard equipment and the opportunity to link their learning to the real world of the manufacturing industry through this partnership.’

Jim presented the school with a £500 donation towards its entry in the prestigious Greenpower eco gokart engineering challenge.

He said: ‘It’s great to visit a school which is clearly so passionate about engineering and who are streets ahead of most schools in terms of their equipment and approach.’

The school is now planning to continue the partnership, with its students travelling to Restormel CNC’s workshop to be trained and to use industry specification machinery for their GCSE and A Level projects.

The school says that the collaboration is seen as being a profitable apprenticeship route for the brightest budding engineers.