Firms being hit by huge skill shortage

More than 600 local employers have been asked by the National Employer Skills Survey 2003 to identify why their jobs are not filled.

And the majority said applicants simply did not have the right skills.

The survey was the largest of its kind ever commissioned with 72,000 interviews conducted nationally, and nearly 2,000 of these from Lancashire.

Out of those the number of employers surveyed in East Lancashire was 148 in Blackburn with Darwen, 112 in Burnley, 84 in Hyndburn, 125 in Pendle, 57 in the Ribble Valley, and 83 in Rossendale.

The research found that 10 per cent of the total North West workforce was lacking some of the skills needed to do their jobs effectively.

The information technology, management, and research sectors reported particular recruitment problems in Lancashire.

The survey was published just days after Steve Palmer, executive director of the Learning and Skills Council in Lancashire, warned of the looming skills gap in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.

He said: "It is only with a trained, competent workforce that Lancashire businesses can expect to stand out in the global market.

"At the LSC we aim to engage employers by offering cost effective employee training in the major employment sectors. Modern Apprenticeships provide an opportunity to recruit highly motivated staff and train them in the specific skills of the business.

"Skills for Work is another of the LSCs' initiative to help bridge the employee skills gap, by training employees in essential skills like literacy and numeracy.

"Employers in the know are making the most of the increased training provisions available to them and reaping huge benefits as a result."

A breakdown of findings region by region is expected in the coming months.

To get involved in Skills for Work or Modern Apprenticeships, or for more information, then contact the Learning and Skills Council on 0845 019 4157 or visit www.lsc.gov.uk/ lancashire.