TWO-thirds of those companies which currently run apprenticeship schemes plan to give more young people in the West Midlands an opportunity to take their first steps into the job market, according to research carried out for the CBI.

The 2014 CBI/Pearson Education and Skills Survey, which had 291 respondents - 106 of which have employees in the West Midlands - found that firms in the region had a growing need for higher skills, with 78% expecting demand to increase in the next three to five years.

Sixty-two per cent of companies, however, said they were not confident they would be able to access enough highly-skilled workers to meet their needs.

Sixty-six per cent of firms in the West Midlands which already run apprenticeships plan to increase them in the years ahead but too many are still reluctant to get involved.

The survey identified reforms which would make firms more likely to take on apprentices. They included creating programmes more relevant to business needs (47%), cutting red tape (32%) and routing Government grants directly to employers (38%).

Richard Butler, CBI West Midland regional director, said: “It’s increasingly clear that the West Midlands faces a shortage in skilled technicians in the years ahead, if we fail to create more chances for young people leaving education and for existing workers.

“Apprenticeships can help benefit the local economy but also tackle the scourge of youth unemployment.

“The West Midlands has been a driving force in the UK’s economic recovery and if we are to build on this, we need a highly-skilled workforce to meet growing demand from local firms but we need even more companies to get involved and the Government can help by cutting more red tape, ensuring the apprenticeship system is truly based on the needs of firms and giving business real purchasing power by putting funding directly in the hands of employers on the ground.”

Rod Bristow, president of Pearson UK and Core Markets, said: “Everyone agrees that all our young people should be better supported as they prepare for the workplace - business leaders in the West Midlands are echoing the voices of teachers, ministers and, indeed, young people themselves in calling for a more joined-up approach to the transition from education to employment.

“The challenge now is to grasp the nettle so we bring employment and education opportunities together to meet the urgent social and economic need of creating a more highly-skilled workforce in the West Midlands and across the UK.”