A leading Yorkshire businessman has called on the government to follow Scotland's lead in developing innovative ways to help employers maintain their apprenticeship programmes in the face of the recession.

Chris Horton, vice president of a 500- strong plastics manufacturing firm, said: "There are more than 11,000 employers in the process industries – 1,200 of them in the Yorkshire region and many of them are struggling to maintain apprenticeship levels through the current economic climate.

"We simply cannot afford to let these young people disappear into other industries, or worse still, leave the labour market entirely because their employers can no longer afford to run or complete their apprenticeship programmes.
"Other sectors such as construction and automotive have already received government assistance and the creation of the National Apprentice Service is a step in the right direction," added Mr Horton, who chairs the national board of the Skills Academy Process Industries, part of a UK-wide network of employer-led academies set up to address skills issues in crucial sectors.

"We urge ministers to follow Scotland's lead and apply some innovative thinking to come up with a fast and practical response to the problem of attracting and retaining the young talent our industries need."

Experts predict that the process industries – which turn over £22 million per day in the Yorkshire region and employ around 34,000 people across Yorkshire and the Humber – need 24,000 apprentices to fill the gap that will be left by older workers set to retire in the next decade.

Source Article
Evening Courier (Halifax and Calderdale)