An event is taking place today to launch a new £8.5m scheme to boost the Cumbrian economy.

Carlisle MP John Stevenson will be addressing an audience at Carlisle College as local skills are put in the spotlight across the city for the day.

The Edge project, which will run into 2018, will see the college lead a scheme to deliver training that will upskill employees in the county's small and medium sized firms.

Others involved in the college-led partnership include the University of Cumbria, Lakes College, Newton Rigg College, Cumbria Business Growth Hub, Gen2 and SP Training.

The Edge has been funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) via the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) and Cumbria LEP.

The funding has been awarded following the success of a similar scheme which ran between 2013 and 2015.

Fifteen organisations delivered training to over 3,000 individuals from 900 businesses across Cumbria.

Expert panels have also been set up to ensure employers are involved in shaping the training provided.

A new brokerage service to simplify the process of recruiting apprentices will also be created, managed by Cumbria Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber's chief executive, Rob Johnston, will reveal more at today's lunchtime launch.