by business editor Trevor Sturgess

A training centre gearing up for wind turbine manufacture has been hailed as a role model to be copied across the UK.

Swale Skills Centre was re-launched yesterday after a £200,000 investment. If was officially opened by John Hayes, minister for further education, skills and lifelong learning.

His visit coincided with the launch by DONG Energy of eight wind turbine technical apprenticeships.

Vestas is considering a blade manufacturing plant in Sheerness which could create around 2,000 jobs, many requiring skills training.

Mr Hayes said the Government was about to unveil plans for a sharp increase in apprenticeships across the UK and the centre - part of Sittingbourne Community College - played a key role in training young people.

Britain's chance to prosper depended on practical skills, he said.

"This is as good as is going on anywhere.

"We need to take this example and spread it to many other localities."

The centre is funded by Kent County Council as part of a policy to encourage more young people into practical work.

Council leader Paul Carter called on the Government for "pump priming" investment to expand the system to address the challenge of new skills and growing youth unemployment.

He also pleaded with firms to take on apprentices who would "add value to these businesses virtually from day one".

Peter Gedbjerg, vice president of the Danish company DONG Energy, said the company was funding the new apprenticeships because "we need to shape our own young employees" to service wind farms.