THE West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce has welcomed plans by the Government to place employers “at the heart” of future post-16 skills and education strategies.

Chair Nick Garthwaite said the white paper ‘Skills for Jobs: Lifelong Learning for Opportunity and Growth’ released by the Department for Education, acknowledges the need to hear from employers about their current and future skills needs.

He said: “We know that many firms don’t have a skills strategy and many often struggle articulate their needs in ways which inform training providers and so end being made to choose from what is ‘already on the shelf’.

"It is also great to see the acknowledgement of the role Chambers play in supporting their regional business communities and that there is a bigger role in working with colleges, training providers, businesses and regional policy makers as we look to rebuild our economy.”

He added: "We believe strongly that having a functioning and regional employer led post-16 skills and education system will help companies to develop the skills needed to grasp future opportunities, to adapt to new working practices and ultimately to thrive in a post-pandemic economy.”