WORKERS have set the standards for their colleagues at Smurfit by becoming the first to receive NVQ awards.

All levels of the 250-strong workforce at the Smurfit Paper and Board Mills factory at Burnley are working towards NVQ certificates.

And staff in the sales department were the first to receive their qualifications followed by fork lift workers.

"As a company we have benefited enormously from the implementation of NVQs," said chief executive Mark Slevin.

"They are an important measure of our staff's expertise and an excellent way of developing their skills."

The training programme was developed in conjunction with ELTEC and Training 2000.

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