TWO thirds of employers in the North West say that work-related education and training will play a vital role in the UK’s economic recovery.

According to a new City and Guilds report, more than 1,200 employers across 26 industry areas said they saw skills as a top priority for supporting the country’s future prosperity.

The report, The Skills Economy — the new framework for prosperity, says nine out of 10 employers in the North West view vocationally trained staff as vital to the success of their business.

Business managers argue practical work experience is more valuable than academic study, with specialist industry skills offering immediate advantages in the workplace over a university education.

Sixty-three per cent of North West employers believe the biggest benefit of people with vocational qualifications over graduates is they already have the skills and experience to work for their business from day one.

Eighty-six per cent of bosses in the North West believe the benefits to their business of training apprentices far outweigh the costs.

A further 78 per cent rely on their apprenticeship programme to give them the skilled workers they need for the future and 64 per cent of North West business managers say a high proportion of their apprentices go on to management positions within the company.

For more information about The Skills Economy report, visit cityandguilds.com/QCF