A TRAILBLAZING scheme to develop a new generation of teens with a passion for classic vehicles is being moved to Bicester Heritage.

Students from Banbury and Bicester College have been taking on the specialised restoration apprenticeship since September 2014.

Now the course, formerly held at the college's Telford Road campus, has moved to the centre in Launton - the UK's first business park dedicated to historic motors.

Pablo Lloyd, the chief executive of Activate Enterprise, which runs the college, said: “The historic vehicle apprenticeship was launched to develop the talent required to safeguard the future of this important and high value sector. The opportunity to locate our training programmes within the UK’s specialist centre is extremely exciting.

“Our aim is to offer apprentices and students a direct line of sight to employment. This move will offer them an unrivalled learning experience, surrounded by industry enthusiasts and expertise, and the chance to build vital links with employers.”

The vehicle renovation market in the UK is estimated at £4.3bn per year and employs around 22,000 people.

But with nearly half of these aged 45 and over, businesses are expected to need up to 150 apprentices every year for the next five years. The apprenticeship taken by Banbury and Bicester College students was set up by the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC) to meet the skills shortage.

Students will learn at Bicester Heritage's base in the RAF's former Engine Test House, located within the UK's best-preserved World War 2 bomber training station.

Bicester Heritage managing director Daniel Geoghegan added: “Bicester Heritage is focused on the future of our past and, as such, skills transfer is a major pillar of our strategy. We are also delighted to see the Engine Test House, built in 1926, return to life so appropriately.”

Alistair Hamilton, 18, who began a full-time course last year, said: "It's great. We're going into somewhere that's at the centre of classic vehicle restoration.

"You have to have a lot more pride with classics; the parts are generally a lot more expensive and they're a lot more interesting to fix. People expect a higher quality of work."