Birkenhead’s Engineering College is calling for sustained Northern Investment after the chancellor pledged billions of pounds to boost national productivity in 2016 Autumn Statement.

Engineering College CEO Terry Weston, who leads the Monk’s Ferry training facility which currently trains 330 apprentices drawn from 70 clients, said: “The chancellor has rightly identified the UK’s need to become more productive, so that wages can rise and people can enjoy higher living standards.

“The announcement of a new National Productivity Investment Fund of £23bn to be spent on innovation and infrastructure over the next five years is welcome. However, this must filter through to the North West region which needs greater recognition for its world leading engineering firms.

“The UK’s economic growth has been concentrated in London and the South East for far too long. The chancellor accepts that no other major economy has such a gap between the productivity of its first city and its second and third major cities. He has pledged some new investment to the North which must be increased and sustained.

“The government now faces a tough challenge in forthcoming Brexit negotiations to balance calls to limit migration with business’ demands for skilled workers. We are calling for greater investment in skills development as businesses will be placed under larger pressure to attract and retain the best engineers from a shrinking pool of talent.”

For more information contact the Engineering College on tel. 0151 666 1028 or email info@theengineeringcollege.co.uk