Amid a national skills shortage and recruitment crisis, results from our most recent economic research show that 55 per cent of businesses experienced difficulties during the recruitment process. Of the businesses surveyed, 45 per cent identified attracting and retaining skilled workers to their business as their greatest concern.

A further 31 per cent of businesses who took part in the research identified the lack of work-ready young people for the future workforce as a significant barrier to growth for their business.

The Careers & Enterprise Company’s Closing the Gap 2019 report reveals that more and more young people are benefiting from the opportunities to engage with employers, but the country is still falling short of providing these opportunities for all young people.

I believe that as a county Worcestershire sets an example that the rest of the UK should follow, in the way it engages its future workforce.

Yesterday saw Worcestershire’s largest careers event taking place, the Worcestershire Skills Show. Held at the Chateau Impney Hotel, Droitwich Spa, this year’s show played host to around 6,000 young people, employers and education providers from across the Midlands. I am pleased to hear of so many young people, businesses and others involved with this project.

The skills show is vitally important as it allows young people the chance to engage and interact with local employers and training providers from a variety of industries and strives to bring the world of work to life in an interactive way for students. Young people are given the opportunity to gain an understanding of the career pathways available to them and the skills that employers are looking for.

Delivered by the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Worcestershire County Council, through the Careers & Enterprise Company’s national initiative, the Skills Show supports businesses in developing Worcestershire’s future workforce and addressing the challenges surrounding the labour market that businesses are currently facing.

I would like to congratulate all those involved in organising the event, on the show’s popularity and success and cannot stress the importance this event has on preparing our future workforce.

Businesses who are looking to pledge their support to help develop Worcestershire’s future workforce including being involved with future skills shows can contact the team by emailing cec@worcestershire.gov.uk.