ADULT students in East Lancashire are to become national trail blazers in one of only five state-of-the-art learning centres launched in the North West.

The Learndirect room in Blackburn College's First Step Centre in Regent Street is a frontrunner to the national learning network being established by the University for Industry (Ufi).

The room, which houses personal computers linked to Learndirect programmes, is one of 68 pilot schemes launched by Ufi in the UK.

If successful, the scheme will be extended to include 27 more East Lancashire learning centres as well as access points to individual computers which could be in homes, pubs or railways stations.

Blackburn College, which has worked on the scheme with a number of organisations as well as other colleges who are part of the East Lancashire Lifelong Learning Partnership, hopes hundreds of students will benefit from the Learndirect programmes, which are free until July next year. Principal Sheena Ewing said: "I am delighted that once again East Lancashire is seen as providing the opportunity and facilities to develop national initiatives.

"The Ufi and Learndirect programmes will provide the people of East Lancashire with a unique opportunity to influence learning programmes before they are launched nationally.

"The pilot scheme will give people the opportunity to learn free and will be a major incentive in encouraging adults to return to learning."

Under the pilot scheme the students can sign up for a range of free educational programmes based around business and IT skills by calling into the centre or calling 01254 699994.

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