Six of the best!

ACHIEVERS all . . . (left to right) Keith Hanson, Stephen Mullane, Robert Stott, Gareth Hurst (from Groundwork receiving the award on behalf of Liam Jackson), Jordan Slicker and Oliver Barker are pictured at the prestigious event, hosted by Positive Steps Oldham, and held at The White Hart Hotel, Lydgate, to celebrate their success

SIX young men who returned to learning have been rewarded at a ceremony at a top Oldham hotel.

More than 60 people watched the presentations, part of the the Learning Agreement Pilot (LAP), which is pioneered by Positive Steps of Union Street, Oldham.

Around 300 young people have been helped to gain the skills to seek and keep meaningful jobs and more than 200 employers are involved.

Positive Steps chief executive Tim Mitchell said many youngsters who thought of themselves as disenfranchised by the education system could benefit greatly by the pilot.

He added: “There are too many young people coming into the labour market for too few job opportunities in Oldham in the current economic climate.

“It is important that we ensure that as many of those people as possible have the opportunity to gain meaningful employment.”

PSO has secured funding for the pilot to March 2009.

The six rewarded for their efforts were: Oliver Barker, from Alt, trained by North Lancashire Training Group, employed by T N Green, of Failsworth; Liam Jackson, from Chadderton, supported by Groundwork Oldham, employed by Jackson’s Builders, of Chadderton; Keith Hanson, from Denshaw, supported by YMCA Training, Oldham, employed by Eurofabs UK Ltd, Rochdale; Jordan Slicker, from Royton, supported by the Oldham Training Centre, employed by Monarch Shelving, Heyside; Stephen Mullane, from Derker, supported by skills@Oldham, the training arm of The Oldham College, employed by M & S Electrical, Derker; and Robert Stott, from Moorside, supported by Rathbones, Oldham, and by a number of employers.

Each received an engraved trophy and a £100 voucher.