MORE than 90 East Lancashire employers found out about a scheme to help local firms become more competitive.

The Teaching Company Scheme aims to promote links between business and universities. It enables firms to carry out specific projects using graduates on placements who are supported by academic experts.

A seminar to show how the scheme can help East Lancashire firms was staged by ELTEC.

"More than 2,000 firms have already taken advantage of the TCS but only a small minority of them are from the East Lancashire area and we held the seminar to encourage more of them to get involved," said Paul Heald of ELTEC.

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