Braintree and Witham's two specialist IT training centres have won European cash that will secure their future for the next two years and help provide jobs skills for more than 200 people.

A total of £280,000 - spread over two years - has been awarded from the European Social Fund for Braintree and Witham TECs which will allow them to offer information technology skills training on courses for 2001 and 2002.

Witham TEC manager, Mr Russell Everard, commented: "For staff, it is great news and gives them the security that we can continue to offer courses for the next two years."

The courses offered by the TECs are aimed at women and men who have been out of employment for some time and want to return to work.

Mr Everard said: "They do not have to be signing on for benefits or registered as out of work at present.

"Many people, particularly women, have been out of the jobs market for some time and recognise they need new computer skills to enable them to work in today's office environments.

"The courses will cover basic computer skills, internet use, e-mails and electronic communication.''

He went on: "Research has shown there are 300,000 people in Essex over the age of 50 and under 65 who are not working. Many of these people do want to work and try something new, but don't have the required skills to win through interviews."

Witham and Braintree TECs have a strong record of success with job training, and have won the new European funding partly as a result of their track record.

Said Mr Everard: "We are funded on the basis of delivery and results, and it is primarily our success rate that has allowed us to win this new money. With the new courses training 200 people, we would hope to get something close to 140 people back into work."

The two new courses, one 15 hours a week, the other 25 hours a week, start in January.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.