Engineering in graduate shortfall warns expert

More engineering graduates are needed to fill a shortfall in the Black Country's manufacturing industry, according to the incoming president of the region's Chamber of Commerce.

Cradley Heath-based solicitor Paul Bennett, who will take up the post in April, says firms are struggling to replace skilled workers who are retiring.

He believes more training courses should be made available to teach students these vital skills and believes the creation of University Technical Colleges could be the way forward.

"Talking to our members, they are keen to recruit and invest," said Mr Bennett.

"The challenge is to try to attract people, particularly the significant number of young people that are unemployed, into manufacturing and engineering.

"The biggest challenge I think for this area is to ensure that we do not skip a generation or a number of generations in terms of their opportunities to work."

Mr Bennett, who is a senior partner at George Green Solicitors and is Dudley chamber president, has been out to visit colleges in the area to see the work they are doing with students.

But he fears many are choosing to study outside the region. He said: "My concern is when you look at the destination of many of the students you wonder how many are coming back to the Black Country after their studies to find work."

He said the chamber is backing plans by Dudley College to create a University Technical College.