AN award has been launched to celebrate businesses that invest in staff training.

North-East companies are being urged to enter the Learning and Skills Council Award for Skills and Workforce Development, run in partnership with the North-East Chamber of Commerce.

Entrants will have to demonstrate the integration of training into business strategy, the impact training has on business performance and the overall ways in which both individuals and the organisation have benefited from the programme.

David Lane, head of skills development for County Durham LSC, and one of the judges on the North-East regional panel, said: "Investing in the workforce is essential for companies who want to grow and develop.

"We have many success stories in the North-East of owners and managers who recognise the importance of training their staff and I encourage as many of these companies as possible to enter this award."

The award has been added to seven categories currently open for entry in the Chamber Awards 2005, which are open to any member company of a chamber of commerce.

Now in its second year, the awards aim to recognise outstanding business achievement within the UK community.

The categories are:

* LSC Award for Skills and Workforce Development

* Most Promising New Business

* Award for Innovation Through Technology

* Entrepreneur of the Year

* Business Commitment to the Community

* Export Business of the Year - Business of the Year

For further details of the awards, visit www.chamberawards.co.uk