A £2million British Gas training centre opens this month, taking on 500 apprentices.

The centre, at Crossways Business Park in Dartford, was announced as the company won an award for apprenticeship training from the Learning and Skills Council.

Rod Kenyon, director of the British Gas Engineering Academy, said: "The award shows just how far ahead we are when it comes to apprenticeship training.

"We plan to stay ahead and that is why we are opening the Dartford centre. We fully recognise the business benefits of growing our own engineers."

The centre will take up to 500 trainees a year and the first will join shortly after the opening. The majority are expected to go on to work in London and the South East.