Essex is in the front line to scoop £8m of Government cash to boost adult learning and skills across the county.

A funding bid has been drawn up by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) Essex to run one of just a handful of pilot projects aimed at improving reading and writing skills.

Essex has been short-listed to pilot one of projects and a final verdict is expected in the next couple of days.

If the county scoops £8m from the £40m cash pot available, thousands of workers and people seeking to join the Essex workforce will be given courses aimed at improving their basic skills.

Janice Logie, the LSC's director of workforce development and life-long learning, said it was hoped 24,000 people would benefit from improved skills in the county by the end of 2004.

She said: "If we are successful, we hope companies will want to work with us on this. All the training would be at no cost to them, especially small companies, where we would seek to provide replacement costs if workers have to leave production lines."

Adult education establishments in Essex have also got involved in the bid, offering their facilities as bases for new courses.

As well as that, the learning and skills council aims to take as much training into the workplace as possible.

David Crozier, chief executive at Essex Chambers of Commerce, said the cash would provide a major boost to people's skills across the county, which would benefit both employees and employers.

Published Tuesday, April 9, 2002