ST HELENS is top of the TECs... and that's official. All the hard work at St Helens Chamber is paying off and helping create the framework for a world class workforce right here.

St Helens Chamber of Commerce, training and Enterprise has emerged at the head of the country's 81 TECs in the Government's Inter-TEC performance tables for its splendid achievements with Investors in People - the national standard awarded to organisations and companies who are able to demonstrate they can meet the tough criteria for their investment in human resources.

The tables reflect individual TECs' progress towards training and education targets.

Earlier in the year Peter Hulmes, the Chamber's Chief Executive had promised a new structure, new leadership and new philosophy. And that pledge is proving well founded.

The Chamber was the first merged Chamber/TEC on Merseyside and only the 6th in the country. And what is all the more praiseworthy is the fact that these excellent results have come in the middle of a period of major transition.

A spokesman said: 'The Chairman and Board made Investors in People A priority from the start. A dedicated team of advisers promoting and managing the Investors in People programme ensures a focussed approach to both client needs and our own targets.

'The National Training and Education Targets have new been extended to December 2,000 and to encompass all organisations with more than 50 employees. We are convinced our current strategies and projected performance will keep us in the top flight and ensure we continue to meet the NTE targets.'

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.