DROITWICH training company Train2Succeed of Berry Hill has been chosen to provide training for the health and social care NVQ qualification as part of new pre-employment training initiative.

Director and founder member Sue Rickwood said: "We're obviously thrilled that we've been asked to provide the training for this scheme, but more importantly we're hoping that harder to reach groups will be encouraged to choose caring as a career path. You're never too old to learn a new skill. Many of the carers employed by Abacus Care, our nursing and care service company, who are always in great demand, tend to be the more mature ones.

"Caring is a fantastic vocation and it can be a conduit leading to other career options. This scheme is set to deliver NVQ Levels 1 and 2 training, but as it's a sector that encourages career development, if you want to work towards gaining a NVQ Level 3 qualification this gives you access to nursing qualifications."

The pre-employment training initiative is a project with objectives to provide training for NVQs Levels 1 and 2 which will ultimately improve employment opportunities for those hard to reach sectors of the community within Worcestershire and Herefordshire. These include people more than 45 years of age who are in danger of being made redundant, those unemployed on long-term benefit (aged 19-64) and unemployed migrant workers (aged 19-64).

Launched by the LSC, funded by the European Social Fund, and driven by Riverside Training, the project will deliver 500 accredited NVQ qualifications in certain occupational areas including agriculture and horticulture, building and manufacturing and health and social care.