A PARTNERSHIP between providers of vocational training in County Durham is resulting in free management training being offered to local companies.

Newton Aycliffe group Itec North-East Limited has joined forces with Communicators Training Associates Limited to offer people Modern Apprenticeships (MA) in management.

The MA, which has been approved by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) County Durham, is being offered free to local companies, mainly to small and medium-sized ones.

It also coincides with a county-wide review of post-16 education and training - known as a Strategic Area Review - which is being carried out by the LSC to determine the demand from young people and employers for learning programmes.

Itec North-East provides training in Modern Apprenticeships, mainly to young adults.

Until recently, Communicators Training Associates, which shares premises with ITEC, has concentrated on the delivery of online training courses via Learndirect