THE company that has trained more than 16,000 East Lancashire workers over the past four years has been acquired by a partnership of the two Business Links operating across the County.

Lifetime training Limited offers learning programmes designed to meet all the needs of business and industry.

It works with client companies to identify their training needs, design customised training programmes and identify high-class providers to undertake the work.

Over the past four years, Lifetime Training has worked with a total of 1,368 business in East Lancashire in a bid to improve their performance and competitiveness.

The company has been acquired by the East Lancashire and North and Western Lancashire Business Links and will now be expanding its work across the whole of the county.

Phil Burgess, chief executive of East Lancashire Business Link was delighted to have acquired the successful business.

"It underlines our commitment to providing excellent business support that delivers real improvement to more customers," he said.

"We will be looking at ways of improving and expanding the range of training available, increasing the number of businesses benefiting from the training and linking it even more into the needs of business."

Lifetime Training also offers a wide range of courses from its first-class training facilities in Accrington. These allow individuals to gain skills and knowledge in a broad range of subjects including: Essential Management Skills, Finance and Quality, Sales and Marketing, Employee Development, Health and Safety and Management Development.