FIRMS in East Lancashire face major problems unless they look to recruit more workers from ethnic minorities, a conference will hear next month.

Home Secretary and Blackburn MP Jack Straw will be the main speaker at an event aimed at addressing the issue of recruitment from the Asian community. "This area is seriously under-utilising a considerable proportion of its potential workforce," warned Mark Price, chief executive of ELTEC, which is organising the event at Ewood Park on June 5.

The Asian population represents an increasing proportion of the workforce. And as almost half the area's ethnic minority population are aged under 15 that increase is set to continue. Within the next 50 years one in five people about to start work will be from ethnic minorities.

"We must ensure that recruitment and training in East Lancashire are the cornerstone of the area's economic growth and prosperity and that means building greater diversity within our workforce," said Mr Price.

"If employers side-step this issue then they risk making recruitment a stumbling block for economic development instead."

Speakers at the event will include Brian Minto, general manager of Robert McBride and Colin Silcock, sales director of Time Computers.

Tickets for the event are available by contacting ELTEC on 01254 301333.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.