TEENAGERS are being offered a week surrounded by bikini-clad models in a bid to arouse over 16s' interest in education.

East Lancashire students can compete for the work experience through Connexions -- the Government scheme aimed at encouraging 16 to 19-year-olds in full-time education.

And the Connexions Card, which was launched regionally in Lancashire this week, will also offer a host of discounts and perks.

The work experience with 'Loaded' magazine is one of the 'money can't buy' opportunities available when students clock up points from attending college.

Behind the scene passes at concerts and the chance to be a professional designer for a day are also up for grabs.

But to win the place among a bevy of babes, students will have to collect more than 200 points on smart-cards for attending college, school or work-based training.

The Connexions Card is already used to monitor attendance at nine learning centres, including technology colleges, training centres and high schools, in East Lancashire with approximately 20 other centres interested in implementing the Connexions Card systems in the future.

And students at Westholme School in Blackburn and Haslingden High School and Specialist Art college in Rossendale are already participating. Jill Woodruff, head of sixth form at Haslingden, gave the scheme the go ahead in September and hopes to use it to monitor attendance from Easter.

She said: "It has been welcomed by the students and at present acts as a show and go card -- letting them have discounts on the spot in shops."

The card is part of an overall Connexions Strategy which aims to encourage learning post-16. It also encompasses a new support service offering advice, guidance learning and information as well as acting as a discount card and form of identity.

Lancashire Learning and Skills Council who fund all post -16 education outside the University sector, have backed the scheme.

Director Steve Palmer said: "The Connexions Card is a national initiative , which is now available through an increasing number of Lancashire's Learning providers. There are 7,000 young people in Lancashire who are not employed or involved in any structured learning.

"Therefore the Learning and Skills Council Lancashire and Connexions Lancashire are working together to create imaginative ways to encourage young people to take part in learning."

Lancashire was one of the last regions to be issued with cards but to further raise awareness of how the scheme works, a briefing session for all learning centres across Lancashire is due to take place at Ewood Park, Blackburn, in April. Private firm Capita, which has already taken over some of Blackburn with Darwen Council's services, won the £110 million contract to run the card from the Department for Education and Skills in 2001.

The Connexions Card was launched in Liverpool yesterday at the FiveOneClub. For more, contact http://www. connexionscard.com.