A COMMUNITY education service employing more than 1,000 staff has achieved Investors in People status.

The service, run by North Yorkshire County Council, provides a wide range of adult learning and youth work opportunities.

It operates from more than 250 different venues and many of its staff are employed on a part-time basis as adult education teachers or youth workers.

The award follows a detailed four-day assessment and has been greeted as a remarkable achievement by Councillor Jim Clark, executive member for lifelong learning.

He said: "Investors in People is about an organisation being able to demonstrate that it is fully committed to investing in its people in order to achieve its aims and objectives.

"This is a challenge for all organisations but, when you consider the nature of the business of the community education service and its staffing structure with so many part-time staff, this really is a remarkable achievement."

The assessor was particularly impressed by the strong culture and ethos of management, support, learning and development, led by Chris McGee, head of continuing education, and his team of managers.