The hard work and dedication of the Council's vocational training partners has meant that never before has there been so many training programmes on offer and so many innovative learning methods available for the Borough's residents. New approaches to lifelong learning have proved both popular and effective.

The YMCA Learning Disabled Training Programme continues to offer vocational training and access to employment opportunities to adults with learning difficulties, with all 16 participants successfully completing the programme.

Through the LearnDirect initiative, Lisburn is taking a fresh approach to learning via the internet. Managed by Dairy farm Training and working with the Lisburn LearnDirect partnership, LearnDirect has brought an excellent opportunity for all adults in Lisburn to enrol on a programme that allows them to brush up on their skills at a time, place and pace that suits them. This innovative learning resource has to date attracted over 300 trainees, with this number expected to dramatically increase with ongoing implementation of the project throughout the Borough.

Two exciting Training and Outreach initiatives are currently underway aimed at offering access to training and education to adults and groups previously under-represented in the Government's Lifelong Learning initiative. The purchase of 20 laptop computers by Lisburn City Council has helped Lisburn Institute to develop a mobile IT resource which can be set up in local primary schools and community centres throughout the Borough. Lisburn Women's Centre has to date enrolled 500 participants onto a wide range of rural outreach training programmes targeted at the retraining of women returners, part time and low paid workers, long term unemployed and the disabled.

Programmes aimed at the local retail sector have continued to achieve impressive results, The Customer Service Programme has assisted 26 retail staff to obtain NVQs Level I and II and the Retail Challenge Programme has provided structured training and mentoring to 12 town centre retailers in the Historic Quarter regeneration district of Lisburn Town Centre. Further retail initiatives are planned in anticipation of the new development at Sprucefield and in continues support of existing businesses in the town.

Ten local organisations form both the business and community sector have invested in their future by participating on an Investors in People scheme. Subsidised by the Council and the Training & Employment Agency and delivered by Dairyfarm Training, 8 of the companies have already achieved the widely recognised award for outstanding commitment to staff training and development.