A West Midlands training provider believes manufacturing’s recent growth could be hampered if the UK cannot get more people to take up vacant apprenticeship opportunities.

Gareth Jones, joint managing director at In-Comm Training, says his Aldridge-based academy has more than 100 positions – all attached to high value engineering jobs – that are available immediately, but there seems to be a reluctance to come forward and take advantage of them. He puts this down to engineering and manufacturing still suffering from negative perceptions in schools and a lack of understanding on the career opportunities an apprenticeship could offer.
“Companies are coming forward and saying they want to invest in apprentices; that challenge has been overcome to a certain degree,” explains Jones, who runs the business with his sister Bekki Phillips. “We now need to make sure that, as a country, we’ve got a pipeline of young people or more mature learners to fill them.”
For further information www.in-comm.co.uk