Member company chiefs were told of rapid progress on the Herefordshire Group Training Association's three-year development plan at the annual meeting held at the association's offices in Holmer Road, Hereford.

Launched last year, considerable progress has been made in opening up the association's Engineering Training Centre to deliver the work-related schools curriculum.

Three local high schools - Fairfield, John Masefield and Whitecross High Schools - have all taken advantage of this provision to deliver either Engineering or Manufacturing GCSE or GNVQ/NVQ.

There has also been progress with the basic skills agenda. A 26-module programme, aimed at developing literacy and numeracy skills for 35 local employees, commenced earlier this year. Each module is repeated 12 times so the candidates can learn in a small group environment with 1:1 and peer support. The programme began with a diagnostic assessment of needs and will conclude in April with candidates being entered for external level 2 literacy and numeracy tests - equivalent to GCSE grade C and above.

Association members heard that candidates were initially very anxious about trying to overcome subjects they had struggled with for many years but now there is an enormous buzz among the group and great confidence for a successful outcome.

Perhaps the most welcome news reported was that, earlier in the week, the association's ambition of becoming a Centre of Vocational Excellence came one step nearer when its proposal to the Learning and Skills Council passed Regional Moderation with the final hurdle of National Moderation in March.

HGTA chairman Reg French said he was heartened that employers' needs were now driving the skills agenda and Group Training Associations were being acknowledged and supported for their contribution.

He added: ''It is as true today as when the group was founded in 1967 that we need to shape the association to ensure that what we cannot do as individuals, we can do collectively.''

The executive committee elected to direct future strategy of the association are: Reg French (chairman); Keith Williams, AK Industries; Deborah Gittoes, Arctic Circle; Duncan Green, Bulmers; Ken Davies, KGD Industrial Services; Nick Silverthorne, Malvern Tubular Components; Robert Hunt, Special Metals Wiggin; Mike Barker, Sun Valley Foods; John Del Mar, ex-Tower Manufacturing; Ken Bayliss, Wrayram Engineers.