A North-East employer has taken part in an education consultation exercise at 10 Downing Street.

David Willett, modern apprenticeship advisor for the Orange telecommunications company, visited Prime Minister Tony Blair to explain how education can fit the needs of employers.

School Standards Minister Stephen Timms, Education Secretary Estelle Morris and Sir William Stubbs, chairman of the Qualifications Curriculum Authority, were also involved in the meeting.

Orange, which employs about 6,000 people in the North-East at centres in Darlington, Peterlee, east Durham, and on North Tyneside, was asked for its comments on a Green Paper which will help to shape education for 14 to 19-year-olds.

Orange was the only company to offer an employer's perspective.

"Orange was approached to give its views as an employer on whether the framework in the green paper would work in reality," said Mr Willett.

"We wanted to examine what type of opportunity would appeal to students and how businesses work with schools and colleges to enable students to take up the apprenticeship route into working life."

The company has a rolling programme of recruiting 12 new apprentices each year.