REFUSE men from two depots at Tavistock and Okehampton have all received high-level qualifications.
South Devon College put 39 Focsa Services UK Ltd refuse operatives through their national examinations — and all qualified at NVQ Level 2 in waste management operations.
Their success has put a spring in the step of the collection service, which operates in Tavistock and Okehampton.
The teams run the service under contract to West Devon Borough Council over 437sq miles.
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Still a black bag area with recycling bins, Focsa are contractually obliged to take rubbish in any form, which requires staff to be extra vigilant and wear gloves at all times, and be scrupulous about personal hygiene if accidents are to be avoided.
Tony Milton, Focsa's contract manager covering both depots, said: 'This training has been completed within the business elsewhere in the country and for that reason we decided to process the staff here.
'After doing their NVQs I can certainly say that the guys' attitude towards their work has changed. We think that is because they seem to be more involved with the contract, but also because they have been given the opportunity to improve their position within the company.'
One of the team who passed was Paul Lethbridge. The 32-year-old who was first trained as an HGV driver, said: 'There is great satisfaction in knowing that you are getting the job done in the right way. And doing the NVQ allows you to be sure you are getting it right.
'I am 100 per cent happy working here. They are a great bunch of lads and we all get on well.'
After being assessed by WAMAS, the Northampton-based training company, those qualified from Tavistock, drivers: Richard Ashington, Jason Barrowman, David Fielder, Richard Kingdom, Reginald Kirkum, Paul Madsen, Raymond McIvor, Phillip Perry, Michael Rogers, Stuart Woolford. Refuse operatives: Christopher Bailey, Tony Boylin, George Drake, Lee Friend, Gareth Harries, Andrew Hurford, Nigel Lambert, Andrew Larcombe, Tom Lord, David McLure, Craig McNeil, William Northam, Dennis Roberts, Douglas Saye, Graham Watts, Jake Court.
Okehampton drivers: Trevor Dorey, Andrew Lashbrook, Paul Lethbridge and John Sanders. Refuse operatives: Nicholas Alexander, Ray Allen, Graham Paul Budge, Michael Kite, Brian Kite, David McLure, Michael Murrin, Alan Raven and Mark Pysden.