THIRTEEN candidates from local paper mills have taken just nine months to achieve their NVQ Level 3 in Management & Supervisory Studies.

Staff at Danisco Paper, East Lancashire Paper Mill, Robert Fletcher, St Regis Paper and Sappi Europe undertook the qualification at Bury College's Management Centre.

They received their certificates in a special presentation last week.

The programme was a first for Bury College - a management course designed on a block release basis for the paper industry.

All candidates met the standards set down by the Management Charter Initiative and the National Council for Vocational Qualifications.

Sue Parr, Bury College's commercial activities manager, said: "This kind of industry-wide provision created a valuable opportunity for all the candidates to network and meet other people working within the paper-making field."

The paper industry's study programme was part-funded by Bolton Bury Training and Enterprise Council and the East Lancashire TEC.

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