The owner of Basildon’s New Holland tractor factory, CNH Industrial, has launched a series of awards for children of its staff.

The special bursaries will assist in the education, training and careers of the next generation.

The first group of young people to receive the awards attended a special ceremony at the Italian embassy in London.

Richard Gadeselli, chairman of Fiat UK, the parent company of CNH, said: “These young people have all grown up as part of the wider family of CNH.

“These awards are an acknowledgement of their outstanding academic achievements and we take pride in supporting their further development, and investing in their futures.”

The seven students are studying subjects as diverse as medicine, psychology, astronautics and aeronautics.

Each received bursaries to put towards their academic pursuits, as part of a grants and scholarship programme through which students who have performed outstandingly may obtain a financial contribution towards their studies. Judging their efforts were a three-strong panel of experts comprising Pauline Thomas, a former head teacher and MA in Educational Management, Martin McLaughlin, the Agnelli-Serena Professor of Italian Studies at Oxford; and Paul Thompson, Rector of the Royal College of Art.

Some 52 UK entries to the bursary scheme were received this year. As well as encouraging academic achievement in this way, Case New Holland now takes on about 30 new apprentices each year.

James Fermor, the company’s UK training manager, said: “Our in-house courses focus on brand specific diagnostics, engines, transmissions, hydraulics and electrics, as well as new technology like GPS.”

Colin Larkin, plant manager at the Basildon factory, said: “The apprentice system is the best possible form of training for our purposes, although it virtually disappeared in the 1990s.

“I am glad that it is back and being supported with such commitment by the Government.

I just don’t know why it was ever abandoned by so many companies in the first place.”