A HIGHLY skilled workforce trained to meet the needs of industry is the key to success on the world stage, Darllington MP Alan Milburn has told North-East businessmen.

Speaking at a lunch to highlight the value of Modern Apprenticeships, the former Health Secretary said the British economy had done well over the past few years, but that success had created its own problems.

"The demand for unskilled labour has tailed off, while the demand for a skilled workforce has increased," he said at a business event staged by Darlington College of Technology.

"We cannot be successful around the world using an unskilled workforce - we simply cannot compete. What we need is appropriate, relevant and vocational opportunities. I think we have those opportunities here in Darlington."

He said past governments had concentrated on primary, secondary and university education, but now was the time to give vocational education equal status.

College principal and chief executive Sarah Farley announced a package of programmes to help train the region's workforce.

She said 30 per cent of the workforce did not possess Level 2 NVQ qualifications, while 11 per cent had none at all.

"We have to do something about this. We have extensive resources and we will shape them to meet employers' needs," she said.

The Modern Apprenticeship scheme allows businesses to take on recruits and train them in the workplace and at college.

Deputy group manager of Sodexho Defence Services, Bob Le Cuirot, has six years' experience of using Modern Apprentices.

He said: "It reduced our costs, eased our skills shortage and allowed us to mould them into our particular style of catering. If they failed to attend college they knew they would lose a day's wages, so attendance was always good."

Chris Goldsworthy, of Ford dealer CD Bramall, in Darlington, said the company retained 90 per cent of the apprentices it took on.

Andrew Alderson was one of the first in system eight years ago. He was twice apprentice of the year and, at 24, is one of Ford's youngest master technicians in the country.