NELSON and Colne College is encouraging firms and adult learners to take advantage of the lockdown situation by upskilling workers.

The college has unveiled a new higher education offer, which is designed to help part-time learners meet the needs of East Lancashire’s economy, which can be tailored around the requirements of employers and can in many cases be taught remotely.

Courses include applied sciences, building and engineering and extend to a 50% reduction in costs for HNCs and HNDs in business, while local companies are encouraged to input ideas.

The college’s dean of higher education Charlotte Scheffmann said: “Our new University Centre provision is designed with Lancashire businesses in mind, and particularly the unique East Lancashire economy.

“Through labour market information, we understand that certain sectors of the economy in Lancashire struggle to attract people with the right level of skillset and knowledge, and we know that employers believe that some training that graduates receive from higher education institutions out of the area is not particularly well aligned to their needs.”

Employers and learners seeking more information can visit www.nelson.ac.uk or www.accross.ac.uk.