Easton College and Bernard Matthews speaking the same language

When a Bernard Matthews' training manager found he would have to send poultry inspection assistants hundreds of miles away for a new qualification he knocked on the door of nearby Easton College and asked for help.

The college, near Norwich, not only came up with a pioneering course to meet their needs but also helped the Matthews team successfully argue a case for Portuguese students in the group to take the exam in their own language.

"I approached Easton College after finding that I might have to send the assistants to Glasgow or Bristol for a new qualification which they must have by 2009," said Bryan Hurst, processing division training manager for Matthews.

"It was a big challenge for the college but they took it up and came through with flying colours. In fact, it became the first course of its kind and the only one in 2006.

"It was great to have such a successful partnership with a college on our doorstep."

The students seeking the qualification, awarded by the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health, included two English, one Lithuanian and five Portuguese.

"The Portuguese had a good working knowledge of English but were struggling with some of the terminology," said Mr Hurst.

"So with the college, we approached the Royal Society and asked if the questions could be translated into Portuguese. I don't think they had realised that there were so many Europeans in the food processing industry these days.

"They agreed and later they also accepted that the answers could be written in Portuguese and one of our professional interpreters would translate them back into English.

"We're grateful to the Royal Society and to Easton College for being so supportive," he said.

Matthews now expect to send another eight or nine poultry inspection assistants on the next course.

Easton College principal David Lawrence said he was pleased that they had been able to react so quickly and effectively to meet the Bernard Matthews' request.

"It was a good partnership and we hope it will continue," he said. "At least five other companies have said they are also interested in sending students for such courses in future."