County support scheme gets £1m extension

The Lancashire Employment and Skills Executive Partnership secured £6.7m in 2016 from the Education and Skills Funding Agency and European Social Fund to deliver Access to Employment across Lancashire. Preston’s College is the lead accountable body for AtoE on behalf of the Partnership.

More than 2,200 unemployed or inactive adults have been supported through the AtoE programme to date, with many progressing into employment. The success has resulted in it being extended to the end of March 2019, with a further £1m of funding awarded.

As well as supporting individuals into employment, it provides businesses with access to candidates to help support objectives and achieve growth.

Rosie Fearn, operations director at LESEP, said: “The fact that funding for the programmes has been extended is testament to the success which has been achieved to date; creating a pipeline of talent and skills for local businesses.”