UNEMPLOYED people or those working in the energy efficiency industry can benefit from a new facility.

The training and assessment facility at Redcar and Cleveland College is the first of its kind in the region.

It includes a mock building with a loft and cavity wall, where students can practise skills before they go into people's homes.

The facility was planned by Redcar and Cleveland's Warm Zone and mainly funded by the borough council's Single Regeneration Budget.

It involved a partnership between the college, charity National Energy Action (NEA), which tackles fuel poverty, National Grid Transco, the council's Warm Zone and Eaga partnership, which delivers the Government's Warm Front programme.

Carmel Corcoran, the council's energy advisor, said: "The delivery of these qualifications within the region will increase the level of quality assurance within the insulation sector, and will give householders the peace of mind they need when undertaking such work."

The college is aiming to introduce further training schemes for energy related installations.