ENGINEERING companies in the North are offering more apprenticeships than other areas of the country, says new research.
The North – taking in the North West, North East and Yorkshire – was also found to be taking on more apprentices aged 25 and over.
The research, by Semta, the sector skills council for science, engineering and manufacturing technologies in the UK, has led to calls for all employers to consider recruiting an apprentice to tackle jobs and skills needs.
The data, released at the start of National Apprenticeship Week 2012, found that a quarter of employers in science, engineering and manufacturing industries in the North offer apprenticeships, compared with a national average of 17%.
In the South, 22% of sector employers offer apprenticeships, while in the Midlands the figure was 21%.
The research also revealed that nearly half the total of engineering apprentices aged 25 and over in England are in the North.
The south is home to 34% of apprentices aged over 25, while the Midlands has 17%.
Semta said these figures showed that businesses in the North were investing in their current workforce, rather than simply recruiting school leavers who attract more funding, and adapting more quickly to demographic changes in the population.
The study also found that the engineering and manufacturing sectors need to recruit 82,000 scientists, engineers and technologists across the UK between 2012 and 2016.
Philip Whiteman, chief executive of Semta, said: “Businesses need to invest in apprentice training and making sure they have the skills they need for competitive advantage.”
He added: “It is vital that businesses take a long-term view when considering their skills needs. “Apprenticeships take 18 months on average to complete – and up to four years for advanced level apprenticeships – so employers need to consider their current workforce and think about where they might be in a few years, implementing solutions to tackle challenges in the future, now.
“Apprenticeships are good for business no matter where they are in the UK.”
Semta has launched the Apprenticeship Service to help employers take on an apprentice, and National Apprenticeship Week runs from today until Friday.
