training and enterprise bosses in East Lancashire are celebrating third place in a national league table.

ELTEC beat more than 70 other similar organisations on its performance in training programmes for young people and the unemployed and the Investors in People initiative.

The XTEND training programme, which provides young people with work-based vocational training, achieved the highest number of NVQs in the country for the second year running.

"In football terms it is like Blackburn Rovers or Burnley FC winning the Premier League two years running," said ELTEC's chief executive Mark Price.

The XTEND programme was third in the country in terms of satisfaction and ninth in the value for money league.

"The national pre-eminence of the programme is testimony to the quality and commitment of the many local partners involved including training providers, colleges and local authorities," said Mr Price.

Announcing the league tables for 1996-97, Education and Employment Minister Kim Howells praised the overall performance of TECs.

"Such achievements will greatly benefit local communities and TECs will want to celebrate this success."

But Dr Howells said there was a wide range of performance between TECs and overall standards needed raising.

"In partnership with the TEC movement we are determined to drive up the standards reached by all TECs and raise the performance of each to the level of the best."

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