NINETY per cent of the region's employers in textile and footwear are struggling to find skilled recruits.
A survey by Skillsfast UK, the skills council for the clothing and textile sector, found that a shortage of workers with the right qualifications or experience was particularly severe in the North-East.
Nationally, 69 per cent of employers are struggling.
More than 20 per cent of employers surveyed nationwide said a shortage of skilled staff was preventing them from developing new products and entering new markets.
During recent years, the clothing, footwear and textile industry has tried to concentrate on low volume but high-quality goods to give it an edge over low-cost products made in the Far East.
Skillsfast has launched a campaign to improve skills. A dedicated website - www.the bigpush.net - has been launched to keep employers informed of the campaign's latest developments.
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