Bridgwater College’s business development team has won a prestigious award for helping local people find work at the new Morrisons distribution centre.

The team won a City & Guilds highly commended award in the 2011/12 Medals for Excellence Scheme.

It worked with DHL/Morrisons, Jobcentre Plus and Sedgemoor District Council to run a two-week employability programme, covering literacy and numeracy, forklift driving, health and safety awareness, warehouse picking and Morrisons’ values.

Everybody who completed the programme was offered an interview for a position at the new distribution centre, which employs 1,000 staff, and 70% took up posts there, some of whom had been seeking jobs for more than ten years.

College vice principal Andy Berry, told the training team: “I am delighted that City & Guilds has recognised the innovation, hard work and fantastic outputs from the DHL/Morrisons employability programme.

“I know how much effort went into the design, management and delivery of the programme, and you can feel proud that you have made a real difference to the lives of over 80 families in the Bridgwater area.”