Troubled training outfit Carter & Carter have had the majority of their operations purchased by Newcastle College which has been good news for up to 1500 workers their who were fearing the worse about their jobs. The move has been hailed as a "very good solution" by administrators Deloitte.

The deal, which is is thought not to benefit any of the group's shareholders, sees an end to a traumatic year which started with the death of company co-founder Phillip Carter in a helicopter crash last May. Three profit warnings followed in subsequent months and after talks with lenders Barclays, Lloyds TSB and HBOS collapsed last week Deloitte were appointed as administrators.

The company employs around 2200 people and has over 27000 trainees on it's books from across the World thanks to more than 100 locations in Britain and abroad. It provides skills that promote employability and vocational training under many government-funded contracts along with back-office functions for the automotive sector.

The move by Newcastle College was said to fit their strategy of becoming "the training provider of choice for business" by a spokesman representing the organisation. Not only will the deal allow significant cost savings due to the similar nature of the training provided by both groups, but it will also push the geographic reach of the college.

Newcastle College had previously acquired TWL Training and merged with Skelmersdale and Ormskirk College in Lancashire in 2007 and thie fresh business decision will see Turnovers grow to around £150 million.