Students at East Durham College paid a visit to a new state-of-the-art sawmill, giving them a unique insight into the future of timber processing.

East Durham College's T Level arboriculture and forestry students visited James Jones & Sons' new state-of-the-art County Durham Sawmill, in Sherburn Hill, Durham.

The visit showcased the company's brand-new, multi-million pound development, described by James Jones & Sons as the “first industrial-scale sawmill to be built in the UK for many years”.

According to James Jones & Sons, this is one of the most significant investments in the UK timber processing sector in over a decade, incorporating advanced automation, innovation and efficiency to support the growing demand for sustainably-sourced timber.

Students at East Durham College paid a visit to a new state-of-the-art sawmill in County Durham.

placeholder image — Students at East Durham College paid a visit to a new state-of-the-art sawmill in County Durham.

Students from the college's Houghall Campus, in Durham, had the opportunity to explore the site’s cutting-edge technology, learn the journey of timber from forest to finished product and gain an understanding of the vital role modern sawmilling plays in the forest and woodland management sector.

A spokesperson for James & Jones Sons said: "My colleagues at James & Jones Sons Limited Durham are very proud of the investment and the work that is carried out at the sawmill, so it makes sense to show young people early career professions, which hopefully will inspire the next generation and workforce for the forestry and wood processing sector."

Trips such as these form part of East Durham College's commitment to providing learners with real-world industry experiences that compliment classroom learning, preparing them for a future career in arboriculture, forestry and wider land-based industries.