A SHARP rise in the number of new engineering and manufacturing apprenticeships has been hailed as a major boost for North-East industry.

The latest figures released by Semta, the sector skills council for science, engineering and advanced manufacturing, show a 133 per cent increase in new apprentices across the region in the past two years.

In total, 2,960 apprenticeships starts were registered in the North-East in 2011 and last year.

The Northern Echo’s Foundation for Jobs campaign, launched with Darlington Borough Council and Darlington Partnership of public and private sector organisations has also played its part, helping 100 young people in Darlington get apprenticeships since it was launched last April.

However, Semta chief executive Sarah Sillars warned against complacency. She fears there will be a lost generation and missed opportunities for British business if the momentum is not maintained.

She said: “These figures are extremely encouraging. These are real jobs, many paying well above the national average, with young people earning as they learn new skills.

“But we shouldn’t rest on our laurels. Engineering and manufacturing still has an image problem – we need more teachers and parents to understand apprenticeships will benefit their children and not somebody else’s.

“The sector needs to recruit 82,000 people just to cover retirements up to 2016 so there is a real opportunity for young people and so much more needs to be done to attract them into engineering and advanced manufacturing.”

In November, the Government came under fire from a committee of MPs who said the rush for new apprenticeships had compromised the quality of training being delivered.

To help address those concerns, the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) is working with Semta to double the number of advanced and higher level apprenticeships for the manufacturing and engineering sector by 2016.

David Way, chief executive of the NAS, said: “In my mind and for many others, engineering apprenticeships set the standard for high quality apprenticeships. They provide our leading companies with essential skills and provide great careers for young men and women.

“Some of our best awardwinning apprentices have been produced by the sector.

This is no coincidence; it reflects the serious ambition to achieve high quality in engineering apprenticeships.”

Semta, through the UK Commission for Employment and Skills Employer Investment Fund, has targeted employers who have never recruited an apprentice in the past 12 months. This work has been supported by media campaigns and their strong employer Sector Strategy Groups and Regional Councils together with NAS to broaden participation.

Despite this, Ms Sillars said there were still only 18 per cent of employers in the sector who have offered apprenticeships.

The number of 16 to 24 yearolds makes up only seven per cent of the advanced manufacturing and engineering workforce compared to 11 per cent for all sectors, while women are also under-represented at 20 per cent compared to 49 per cent for all sectors.

“We cannot stress enough how more work needs to be done to educate teachers, parents and even some employers,” she said.

“We need boys and girls to be encouraged to take Stem subjects then come into industry.

“Companies need to understand an apprentice may not always contribute towards a business in year one but in years two, three and four they make a major contribution, becoming a valued, loyal employee, earning money and providing home-grown skills.”

Semta encouraged firms of all sizes to get in touch for help to access funding, quality training providers and a suite of tools designed to give a return on their investment.