FRENCH staff who work with an East Lancashire aerospace firm are being given intensive English courses in the county.

Blackburn-based corporate language company Business Vector Ltd is delivering a series of business English language ‘immersion’ weeks in Burnley for staff from the French-owned aerospace group Safran.

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In the first instalment, three engineers from its Itteville site, south of Paris, will be trained in English at Aircelle Ltd, one of the area’s major employers and a subsidiary of Safran.

They will practise their new skills in the Burnley aerospace firm’s composite manufacturing team.

Business Vector’s French managing director, Lory Barreau, said: “Most language provisions are delivered in London and the south of England.

“It is a great opportunity to re-establish the balance and show how much Lancashire has to offer, both in terms of business expertise and fantastic scenery.

“Aircelle Ltd was selected for their expertise in manufacturing and development of aircraft nacelles.

“The immersion week for the French engineers is bound to develop French connections further for the area and for business.”

To help the French workers fully involve themselves in Lancashire culture, Lory used contacts within the Burnley and Vitry-sur-Seine Twinning Committee who offered volunteer host families in Burnley for the engineers.

She added: “ Earlier this year, Burnley was awarded the European Diploma from the Council of Europe for its work in improving relationships between the people of the town and people in other European countries.”

For the past 15 years Business Vector has provided language support for companies in more than 30 languages.