A BUSINESSWOMAN is bringing technology to the forefront to equip people with key new skills.

And Julie Edmondson's Learndirect company has just celebrated recruiting its 100th learner, less than a year after launching her business in Bolton.

The Bury businesswoman said: "It's amazing the number of people from all walks of life who want to update or learn new skills. The response has been overwhelming," she said.

So much so that Learndirect is now in the process of doubling its capacity to cater for the increased interest.

Julie is the training manager for Linda Taylor Associates with offices in Swinton and Bolton. After successfully opening their first office in Swinton 18 months, her aim was to reproduce that success in Bolton.

She said: "In my ten years of working for Linda Taylor Associates, I have seen more and more of the difficulties employers and employees experience when looking for good-quality, cost-effective training.

"We opened our centre to provide better opportunities for training for employers and individuals alike. As specialists in the temporary and permanent recruitment of administrative staff, Learndirect has enabled us to offer a total solution to training and recruitment to everyone, an accolade not many recruitment consultancies can boast."

Learndirect is a new method of training which utilises the Internet. Training is flexible and covers such courses as computers, management and personal development and improvement courses in literacy and numeracy.

Julie said: "The biggest appeal is that at present, all literacy and numeracy courses and most computer courses are totally free of charge. There are also taster sessions for absolute beginners."