Council chiefs have signed a four-year contract with the university for 80 social work staff to be trained on its social work degree.

Twenty people will be sponsored to take the qualification each year, while also working for the council.

Council bosses said it would give it a ready-made source of skilled people.

National shortage

The first students will be assessed over the coming months to ensure the strongest candidates are selected for the first intake of the course, in September 2006.

Jean Lammie, interim director of adult social services, said: "The problem of recruiting social workers is one faced across the country and attracting people with these skills and experience to Lincolnshire has been a problem.

"Now we have officially put pen to paper on this link up, the council will have a ready made source of these highly skilled people.

"By working in partnership with the university we can make the most of the facilities which are on our doorstep and not only recruit people to jobs which have been difficult to fill, but train up our own people to these positions."