A NORTH-East training company has literally taken to the road in an initiative to develop the skills of the region's smaller firms.

The Automotive Sector Strategic Alliance (Assa) has put itself behind the wheel of a car equipped with laptop computers, a digital projector and screen and materials that will bring learning into the workplace in the region.

The Assa car is one of a fleet of 15 vehicles allotted to training specialists across the country by the Government's University for Industry (UfI) initiative. It is aimed at firms that may not have the facilities to develop staff themselves.

A travelling tutor will use the car to help introduce the principles of productivity, improvement and information technology to businesses from Northumberland to the Tees Valley.

Jeff Thompson, operations director with Assa, said: "In order to be awarded the car from learndirect we had to demonstrate that there was a need for it in the North-East. With more than 80 per cent of companies in the region employing fewer than 250 staff and with many of these smaller firms situated in remote areas, we knew there would be a demand for a roving learning provider."

Assa also offers an additional service. Assahub has developed, on behalf of the UfI, a series of workbook-based and on-line programmes that are geared to helping firms become more competitive by cutting costs, increasing productivity and improving quality.

The Assahub will be operating from the car for a year, in which it aims to visit a range of businesses to provide courses on everything from teamworking and skills control to the Japanese methods of working such as Kaizen.

One of the first companies to be visited by the Assa car is Express 2 Automotive Ltd (E2A) in Tanfield Lea, County Durham.

Part of the newly formed Tanfield Group, E2A specialises in the high volume manufacture of precision engineered components specifically for the automotive industry.

In its first four years E2A has secured major supply contracts with UK customers such as Tallent Engineering, TRW Automotive Systems and Honeywell.

Mark Hutchinson, operations director of E2A, said: "Effective use of time is a major consideration in any business, but when you are part of a smaller operation it becomes increasingly difficult to balance the pressures of production against essential training. Recognising the importance of workforce training and development we are very keen to support Assa in this new initiative. "

The idea of a mobile fleet that will take learning to the doorsteps of smaller firms has also been welcomed by business leaders