A TRAINING company which helps prepare young people for life in the armed forces has received a cash injection to expand its premises.

Bury-based Military Standard Training has received £200,000 to develop a new 5,500 sq ft training centre and new educational courses.

From their base, the team will deliver a course aimed at helping young people who have left mainstream education to join the armed forces and prepare for life in the military.

A series of new training programmes, covering topics such as security, construction and rail, will also be produced to help the unemployed back into work. These courses will be led by forces veterans.

The investment was made by a local business who saw the work that the organisation was doing and wanted to open up opportunities for more young people in the area.

The new centre aims to open its doors in time for the new academic year.

Managing director and former Royal Marine Andy Emmet said: "This is an extremely exciting time for Military Standard Training.

"The investment not only allows us to provide a better training facility for our young people but gives us the means to expand our offering and offer courses to help the unemployed back to work.

"The students who come through our doors often need guidance to push them in the right direction and to channel their energy in a positive way. They arrive as young kids but complete the course as highly focussed young men and women with a real sense of self-worth and pride in themselves and their community.

"We’re sure that this will continue across the new 'back to employment' courses that we are offering."

Military Standard Training was launched in 2016 to bridge the gap between young people leaving traditional education and starting military training.

The company provides a free 26-week course for 16 to 24-year-olds to give them the foundation skills required for life in the forces.

An open day for the new academic year will soon be announced.