Nissan employees are demonstrating the demand for workplace learning by taking advantage of the support and facilities that are now available at the Assa learning centre at the car giant's Sunderland plant.

Having enrolled on more than 2,800 learndirect courses with Assa since the centre was officially launched on May 2, more than 700 people have been encouraged to develop their skills in productivity improvement, skills for life, business management and ICT.

And with the recruitment of three learning support staff, learning specialist Assa hopes to attract even more of the company's employees and encourage those already enrolled to continue on their journey of learning.

Learning centre co-ordinator, Kevin Wilkinson, from Sunderland, admin support officer Marianne Turnbull from, Blyth, and learning support advisor Alan Shields, from Prudhoe, have joined the company within the past six months to work within the centre.

Progressing from a supervisory role within the sector, Kevin joins assa with an established background of product knowledge and manufacturing philosophies and is currently hoping to continue his own learning journey, working towards a teacher training certificate at Sunderland College, with assistance from assa.

Marianne and Alan both progressed from positions with a mobile computer centre providing IT access to people across the region.

Kevin said: "The centre is available to all Nissan employees, offering a programme of 443 learndirect courses and we've already seen team leaders, production controllers, manufacturing staff and employees from the finance and personnel sections, enrol.

"Nissan is encouraging staff to invest time in their personal development by working on courses and we are here to help learners to use their time efficiently, developing skills that they are most interested in.

"The facility has already attracted the interest of a number of Nissan's suppliers who are to start using it later this month."

Situated adjacent to Nissan's personnel department, the centre boasts 16 newly-installed on-line learning workstations with shared printers, as well as the expertise of Assa staff and is open during working hours (7am-11pm each day).

Nissan managing director John Cushnaghan said: "A key strategic aim of our partnership with Assa and Learndirect is to develop the North-East's reputation as a centre of productivity excellence.

"More region-wide facilities such as the centre opened here recently will raise skills attainment and help boost manufacturing productivity.

"Ultimately we would like to see not only company employees taking advantage of these services but perhaps their dependants and especially those who will make up the North-East workforce of the future."

Assa and Learndirect are planning to open several more learning centres in the region by the autumn.

For more information about Assa learning centres, call Karin Schoens, Learning Centre manager, on 0191 417 7030.