PD Ports is enrolling hundreds of its North-East employees in training programmes to improve their skills and expertise.

PD has already seen 600 employees successfully complete the staff development course, which can lead to an NVQ qualification. A further 500 are due to sign up in the coming weeks.

Hundreds of PD's 600 staff at its sites in the Tees Valley - at Teesport in Middlesbrough, and Hartlepool - have either completed or are about to complete the course, which includes training in health and safety, management, driving goods vehicles, warehousing and waste management.

The programme was drawn up with support from the Train to Gain service, jointly funded by the Learning and Skills Council North-East and regional development agency One NorthEast.