South West business leaders are calling on the government to provide more help with upskilling the region’s workforce and to commit “vital funding” to support firms during the current economic downturn.
The Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) said a regional skills gap in tech-driven sectors, such as data science, cyber and robotics, meant innovative companies in the area were “struggling” to fill roles, slowing down growth.
The LEP has proposed reform to the current “restrictive” apprenticeship levy system, which it said currently prevents businesses from funding courses which are shorter than a year.
