A SILSDEN hydraulic engineering firm is taking part in one of the UK's biggest graduate recruitment schemes.

Advanced Actuators has joined with Bradford University in a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), to employ a graduate on a two-year part-funded Government project.

As a result, Evangelia Tsasliagkou has been taken on as a development engineer at the Ryefield Way company, which manufactures complex hydraulic machinery used in gas, oil and nuclear industries across the world.

She is working on the design and prototyping of power generators for remote valve actuation and said she was thrilled to be with the firm.

"Advanced Actuators has provided me with my first step onto the career ladder and for that I am very thankful," said Evangelia.

"It's a competitive world and experience is vital."

KTP aims to help UK businesses innovate and grow by partnering them with universities and colleges to gain access to technology, expertise and skills.

Advanced Actuators managing director, Chris Woodhead, praised the scheme.

"We are pleased with the results that have come from partnering with the University of Bradford," he said.

"There was such a high calibre of graduates who applied for the project and I believe we can provide workplace training which will advance their specialist skills.

"Recruitment schemes like KTPs are essential for the future of our industry.

"The partnership has also allowed us to develop our business by linking with academia. We have full access to the university's facilities and can tap into its knowledge by meeting with academics and testing machinery."

Melanie Powell, business partnerships manager at the university, also welcomed the link-up.

"We were delighted when Chris approached us about our academic and research facilities," she said.

"The company's current project will last two years and there is funding in place for a second graduate to work for the firm from 2015 for another two years.

"Advanced Actuators has also worked with us through Yorkshire Innovation Fund projects. The company has run both small innovation and research and development projects at the university."