The University of Cumbria has received a £250,000 funding boost from Sport England towards its Get Qualified campaign.

The grant will enable the university to continue the scheme, which aims to improve the qualifications of people working in the outdoor sports sector, for a further two years.

Since its launch in 2007, the scheme has provided more than 270 people with new qualifications.

So far, the initiative has helped professionals to achieve qualifications in in first aid; canoe coaching awards; trail cycling and mountain biking; mountain leadership; rock climbing; powerboat handling; line management skills and caving.

The university will use part of the funding to expand the scheme into neighbouring Lancashire.

Simon Waring, centre manager at Outward Bound, an employer in Cumbria, said: “Get Qualified has been a great help in ensuring our current staff are trained and qualified to high standards.

“The launch of a National Skills Academy for Sport and Active Leisure will enable schemes like Get Qualified to be more accessible to employers in the sector, allowing them to gain financial support for training staff and to pull all skills training into one single and coherent place.”