TWO high-flying students now have passports to rewarding careers thanks to a North-East business.

Ryan Wenn and Antonia Fawcett have received aerospace cadetships from the Gus Robinson Foundation.

The £500 bursary recognises the 19-year-olds' achievements while studying on the BTEC aeronautic engineering diplomas at Hartlepool College.

The Gus Robinson Foundation was launched by the Hartlepool-based construction company Gus Robinson Developments to help young people into successful careers.

Cadetships and scholarships are awarded across several categories, but the aerospace award is of particular interest to the firm's chairman, Dan Robinson, who spent years as a fighter pilot in the RAF and US Air Force.

Mr Wenn, who lives in Hartlepool, said: “I've always been interested in aircraft and space engineering, so this is the ideal course for me.

“It's fascinating to take maths problems and transform them to real life engineering and mechanical situations.

“I really want to study aircraft or spacecraft design at university.”

Miss Fawcett, also from Hartlepool, added: “I hope to do an engineering apprenticeship, as I have always loved anything practical.

“Winning the cadetship will hopefully help my chances of starting a great career in engineering.”

Mr Robinson said it was important to find the next generation of engineers.

He said: “I'm absolutely delighted to award the cadetships to Antonia and Ryan.

“Engineering skills are the absolute bedrock of our economic recovery because we need a nation of knowledgeable and qualified people who can drive innovation.

“Aerospace engineering is all about mankind’s quest for knowledge through further and deeper exploration into space.”