PUPILS receiving exam results are being encouraged to consider courses at further education colleges.
The north's regional FE colleges offer a range of further and higher education programmes.
Ken Webb, Principal and Chief Executive of South Eastern Regional College (SERC) urged young people to explore the "many possibilities" that colleges offered.
SERC's higher education qualifications include foundation degrees in computing, applied science and mechatronic engineering and HNDs in manufacturing and electrical engineering.
Many courses, he said, focussed on areas of economic growth.
It was also important that colleges encouraged more females to look at perusing careers in sectors such as engineering, he added.
"Only 12 per cent of all engineers are women in the UK and research indicates that we will need more engineers to contribute to the country's development to accelerate growth," Mr Webb said.
"As well as having qualifications, students need to have much more in terms of skills and experience. This includes soft skills, such as communication, presentation and organisational skills which allow students to excel in studies, work and life.
"At SERC we place important value on project-based learning which gives students opportunities to work together on real life scenarios, solving problems and developing entrepreneurial skills as soon as they walk through the door."
