ACCOUNTING apprentices at Durham Business Club are celebrating after they all passed exams for an internationallyrecognised qualification.

The club, which also offers apprenticeships in hairdressing, beauty therapy and business administration, was approved by the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) last September to deliver its education and training scheme in-house.

Previously, the AAT course was run through partnerships with local further education colleges.

The AAT is the world's leading professional body for accounting technicians, with more than 100,000 members worldwide. Iits qualifications are recognised by employers across all sectors and all industries.

The club prides itself on providing a learning environment which features small class sizes, one-to-one tuition and a friendly and supportive approach, and this, in part, is credited for the apprentices' outstanding results.

Eileen Wignall, of Gordon Brown Associates, which has employed many of the club's apprentices over the years, said: "The NVQs provide an excellent route into employment, and apprentices can also combine working with learning, which is what attracts many young people."

Once a student has completed the accounting technician stage, they can apply for full AAT membership, which allows them to use the letters MAAT, or Member of the Association of Accounting Technicians after their name.

Amanda Malcolm, 20, of Chester-le-Street, one of the successful candidates, said: "I'm really pleased to have passed these exams, which are the first stage to becoming an accounting technician.

The club's friendly approach and one-to-one tuition have really helped."

The club's facilities, based in recently modernised offices at Mile House, in Chester-le-Street, include two computer suites with a dozen PCs, a large professional hair salon and a fullyequipped beauty therapy room, both of which are open to the public.

For more information,log on to durhambusinessclub.co.uk or call 0191-388 4488.