FOREIGN students will be arriving in west Wiltshire next month to experience working life in Britain.

Around 10 youngsters from Da Vinci College in Utrecht, Holland, will take up positions at companies including greengrocers George Brown & Son and distribution firm The Consortium, both based in Trowbridge.

The programme, which starts on April 10 for 10 weeks, teaches students new skills and helps them practise speaking English.

Co-ordinator Cor Polak, who along with colleague Rob Nelemans visited west Wiltshire last week to organise the next round of work placements, said: "There has been a very positive development concerning the relations between Da Vinci College and the companies which hosted students of ours.

"The programme benefits students' personal development. The foreign experience is widening their scope in general, but also more specifically with respect to business life.

"It has been a very fruitful partnership. For example one student helped George Brown & Sons make a new contact in the Netherlands." The Trowbridge-based Wessex Association of Chambers of Commerce helps the college develop contacts and co-ordinate the annual project.

Education law prescribes that work experience should make up at least 20 per cent of the program for vocational training courses offered by colleges in Holland.

"In most cases this takes place in the Netherlands, but during the past few years having work experience abroad has become more and more important," said Mr Polak.