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NECC reports positive outlook for North East businesses tackling skills gap

North East businesses are to benefit from the increasing pass rates in STEM A Level stubjects across the region.

NECC policy adviser Lucy Humphreys noted that the increase in take-up of science and maths subjects has provided reassurance to North East businesses across STEM industries that the skills gaps across North East sectors are being addressed.

She said: “The continued decrease in the take-up of foreign languages is disappointing, particularly as the Government has set ambitious targets to increase international trade. The halting of continuous grade inflation will also help to restore business confidence in A-levels.”

Following the release of ONS figures this week reporting the increase in employment in the region, Lucy notes that these results are positive for the region: “There is an increasing appetite from schools, colleges and universities to engage with the business community and there are already some great programmes in place across our region that do just this, but more businesses must get involved to ensure young people are given a realistic understanding of opportunities and careers within the North East.”

Stuart Dow, Technical Director at Redcar-based engineering specialists, Haden Freeman said: “Pass rates in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects have seen an increase for the fifth year running, which is undoubtedly great news for engineering and manufacturing companies across the region.

“Engineering companies in the North-East have, in recent years, voiced concerns over the lack of qualified candidates in the area, and as an engineering firm active in the region, we have definitely experienced this first hand.

Following today’s results, it’s vital that employers capitalise on these positive signs of growth in order to plug the skills gap. Firms need to put much more resource into marketing themselves more effectively, communicating their achievements and tapping into the imagination of our up and coming talented engineers. In short, now is the time to show young people what an exciting, relevant and cutting-edge career, engineering can be.“

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellen Forster .