Lancashire Council wins £6m for on-work training

LANCASHIRE County Council has been awarded a £6m + contract to deliver on the job workplace training to local firms.

The £6,3m funding has been awarded by the European Social Fund and is aimed at supporting employees aged 19 and over in small or medium-sized businesses with a workforce of up to 250 employees.

The funding will run until July 2015 and is available across the  Lancashire Economic Partnership area, comprising Lancashire, Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen local authorities. 

Training will include a mix of basic and higher level skills, leadership and management. It will also offer technical specialist qualifications to help boost the county’s strengths in the following growth sectors: 

::Advanced engineering and manufacturing 

::Energy, environment and low carbon 

::Financial and professional service 

::Creative and digital 

::Health 

::The tourism sector 

More than 4,000 people will be supported through this programme, which will be run in partnership with a range of local organisations, including further and higher education institutions, work-based learning providers, and social enterprises.

Jennifer Mein, leader of Lancashire County Council, said: “Making sure that our local residents are fully equipped to compete in the workplace and have the skills to help our local businesses to be profitable and competitive is one of our highest priorities. 

“There’s enormous potential in Lancashire which this contract will help us 

to develop further.”