BUSINESSES in Herefordshire and Worcestershire are getting a helping hand to find workers with skills that perfectly match their requirements, as part of a project backed by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) West Midlands.

More than 24 businesses in the two counties have signed up to the service, which is backed by the LSC's regional European Social Fund (ESF) programme.

About 30 skilled workers have been successfully matched and placed in suitable jobs since August 2007. A further 87 local unemployed workers are currently receiving training and support to raise their skills.

Jill Barcroft, sales and marketing manager at County Training, a local training provider, said: "Employers in more rural counties, like Herefordshire & Worcestershire, often find it much harder to recruit skilled workers from the local employment pool. This project aims to identify local people who are currently out of work or between jobs, so they can be trained up to meet employers' needs."

For more information contact Jill Barcroft at County Training on 01743 255121.