YOUNG people in 40 secondary schools across Lancashire will benefit from a new service to bring a business mentality into the heart of the school curriculum.

The Learning and Skills Council Lancashire today revealed that the county will be a lead area in the £16 million Enterprise Advisor Service to help schools meet the challenge of changes to the 14 to 19 curriculum, where work-related learning will be a statutory requirement for all pupils at Key Stage 4, from September 2003.

Advertisements will be appearing in the national press this week to recruit Lancashire Enterprise Advisors to work with head teachers to forge and strengthen ties between schools and businesses.

The advisors will work to ensure young people have good work-based experience that will improve their enterprise and employability skills. In addition, the advisors will be able to access development funds for additional resources, materials or services to support enterprise development in schools.

Steve Palmer, Executive Director of LSC Lancashire, said: "I am really glad that Lancashire has been chosen for this tremendous initiative which will give young people in the area a real taste of work and the world of business.

"The whole thrust of education is to develop young people to their full potential."