LEP secures £12m funding for skills projects

The Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has secured an £11.9m package of support to invest in five projects which will help businesses upskill their employees and care for their health and wellbeing.

The five projects which will benefit from the funding are:

• Building Successful Futures which offers practical training courses to develop the skills and career prospects of employed people, particularly within small and medium sized businesses.
• The LEAP project which helps employers engage with apprenticeships, including a Levy transfer service
• Upskilling Health and Social Care which will support organisations to upskill their workforce to play an enhanced role within the integrated health and social care system.
• The Building Blocks project, part of the Business Health Matters portfolio of projects, which will train more than 5,000 workplace health champions in SMEs
• The STELa project which will increase the level of engagement of Lancashire’s small to medium businesses in Technical Education through the provision of industrial placements and other work experience opportunities.

All the initiatives are part funded by the European Social Fund (ESF).

Miranda Barker, chief executive of East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, LEP director and chair of the Lancashire ESIF Committee, said: "Lancashire has a track record of successful ESF funded skills programmes that support the skills priorities of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership.

"Reskilling and upskilling the current workforce and healthy workplaces are key priorities in the Lancashire Skills and Employment Strategic Framework particularly within the context of Covid-19 and economic recovery and it is good news that funds have been allocated to support these priorities."

Dr Michele Lawty-Jones, director of the Lancashire Skills and Employment Hub, added: "Through ESF funding we support projects that help people into employment, promote social inclusion and that develop the skills of the workforce. This funding also contributes to improving youth employment by providing support for young people – something that is vital now more than ever."

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