THE country needs to find one million new, skilled engineers by the end of the decade, but the Government is dithering over a proposed centre of excellence for our region.

An alarming report from industry body EEF, published today, exposes the risks posed by a skills timebomb set to go off in one of the North-East’s key industries.

As order books start to fill up, manufacturing recruitment is on the rise, but every week I speak to employers who are struggling to find workers with the right skills.

The problem is most acute in advanced engineering sectors, which hold the key to the industry’s longterm success.

Even if the industry grows at its current pace, manufacturing will need nearly one million workers to replace those retiring and quitting the industry, EEF warns.

It said 80 per cent of manufacturers want to see higher education establishments prioritise making students employable and courses to be designed to meet industry needs.

Its findings come as a bid to set up a university technical college (UTC) in Newton Aycliffe, capable of training up to 600 people every year, is being resubmitted to ministers.

The plans, supported by the University of Sunderland, train builder Hitachi and car parts maker Gestamp Tallent, have received backing from Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin and Sedgefield MP Phil Wilson. A first bid was turned down in January by the Department for Education (DfE).

The Government has backed 45 UTCs across the country, but the Aycliffe centre would be the first in our region. We have some excellent engineering apprenticeship centres in the region, such as South West Durham Training and TTE Technical Training, but a second snub for the UTC would be a setback to the growth plans of Gestamp and Hitachi.

The EEF report accuses the Government of failing to put the building blocks in place to support manufacturers.

It calls for action, including more placements for trainees to gain industry experience, and more parttime and short-term courses, as well as to give greater certainty and stability on apprenticeship funding.

Firms must also take more responsibility for making it clearer to higher education providers what it is they need.

After decades of neglect, action is needed now to equip young people with the skills to safeguard what remains of our global reputation for manufacturing excellence.