MORE than 40 civil service middle and senior managers have completed a Lancashire County Council ‘higher level apprenticeship’ for senior and middle managers.

The 12 month pilot scheme was a partnership between Lancashire County Council's Adult Learning service and One Connect Limited's Leadership and Development Team.

The 41 adult students came from number of government departments including Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals, Her Majesty's Prison Service, Job Centre Plus, and the Department of Work and Pensions.

Christine Goldstone from Lancashire Adult Learning, said: "We were contacted by the English Civil Service in January 2012. They recognised that a number of their senior and middle managers, while technically competent did not have an academic qualification.

"We delivered the programme in Chorley, Manchester and Liverpool. The evaluation was hugely positive.”

Following the success of this pilot programme, Lancashire Adult Learning has recruited 65 candidates to undertake another programme this year.