Elring Klinger boss warns of skill shortage growth threat

A North East manufacturing boss is warning that the current difficulty in recruiting workers with engineering skills will seriously hamper economic growth.

Ian Malcolm is the managing director of the Elring Klinger car components factory in Redcar and has been responsible for creating hundreds of jobs in recent years.

But now he says specialist jobs at the plant can often be unfilled for up to two years because of a shortage of suitable candidates.

He blames an over-emphasis on teaching academic subjects in schools and colleges and a failure to promote apprenticeships.