BOLTON and Bury Education and Business Partnership has been awarded Investor In People (IIP) status at the first attempt.

Bolton and Bury EBP puts more than 6,000 schoolchildren a year through work placement schemes with more than 3,000 local companies. Businesses are also encouraged to participate in school-based business studies, including a mentoring scheme, and teachers use the partnership to gain skills in industry.

EBP director Maureen Topping said: "There are plenty of companies that have adjustments to make after their initial assessment, but we found that many of the measures that we already had in place were acceptable IIP standards."

The IIP award is a crowning achievement for Mrs Topping, who retires at the end of the month after a long career in industry.

After working as a chemist for National Power and British Gas for a total of 36 years, she moved to the EBP 12 years ago, taking over as director last year.

She said: "I knew I wanted to get the accreditation in the limited time I had in charge and I had the backing of the board."

"The nature of what we do meant that we were in tune with what IIP were looking for anyway.

"I have also brought a young person into the organisation on an apprenticeship, because that is another important facet of our philosophy."