A scheme to help young people qualify as 'customer friendly' fast-fit technicians has won a national training award for Manchester-based dealer group Lookers.

The Motor Trader Training Award, sponsored by Unipart, was presented to Fred Maguire, Lookers' chairman at a ceremony at London's Grosvenor House hotel.

Diane Pollock, Lookers' training manager, said research had revealed people bringing their cars in for fast-fit items wanted to talk to the technician working on their cars.

"We realised we not only had to train technicians to cope with the basic mechanical skills we also had to help them in other areas such as their people skills," said Ms Pollock.

Out of 170 applications 16 trainees were chosen to join the training programme. They received on-the-job training in Lookers' Liverpool and Greater Manchester dealerships. Formal training is given at Tameside College, Ashton, Manchester.

Trainees are working towards the Motor Industry Training Council Level 2 NVQ in fast-fit. Lookers is the first dealer group in the UK to adopt this new national qualification standard.