Carlisle College has been awarded a multi-million pound project designed to give Cumbria one of the UK's fastest growing economies.

The £8.5m has been awarded by the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and will be used to raise skill levels in the county and plug its skills gaps.

This project will offer funded workforce training within Cumbrian small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and support to recruit apprentices via an impartial brokerage service. It will run until March next year and has been paid for through the European Social Fund (ESF) via the British Government's Skills Funding Agency and the LEP.

The college helped run similar projects between 2013 and 2015, which delivered training to over 3,000 individuals from 900 businesses across the county.

Carlisle College will lead a consortium of organisations in the project, including the University of Cumbria, Furness College, Kendal College, Lakes College, Newton Rigg College, Cumbria Business Growth Hub, Gen2 and SP Training.

Zoe Makepeace, assistant director at Carlisle College, said: ”This is a huge achievement for Carlisle College, we believe it to be the biggest ESF contract ever awarded in Cumbria. We have an excellent track record of managing and delivering skills provision, supported by successful local partnership arrangements.

"To be able to provide funded training to those in work is a massive business growth opportunity for the county and we now look forward to working with employers to maximise the benefits."

George Beveridge, chairman of Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “SME and business growth in the county is underpinned by the right skills and qualifications for the local workforce. More funded training and apprenticeship opportunities offered through projects such as this help local people gain the qualifications they need to access new jobs, as well as providing businesses with appropriately skilled staff."

Businesses interested in this project should contact Ms Makepeace by emailing zmakepeace@carlisle.ac.uk .