APPENDIX 13
Memorandum from AOC Northern Region (JG
19)
Two issues that the Northern Region AoC would like
to draw to your attention are as follows:
(i) The need for significant investment to
allow colleges to have the infrastructure needed to address new
and changing skill demands, particularly in areas where the previous
main industries have been heavy (engineering, mining etc) and
where the growth in new jobs are in the service sector eg call
centres. There is considerable need for infrastructure development
and current funding makes it relatively difficult for individual
colleges to make such investments.
However, within the Northern Region there have
been several examples of joint infrastructure development and
should the Committee find details of these useful I would be happy
to oblige.
(ii) In relation to jobs gaps for example
in the Tees Valley a number of issues exist which contribute to
this:
— travel to work not easy down Tees
Valley;
— lack of entrepreneurs;
— engineering heritage versus training
for service industry;
— lack of service areas eg few cultural
and media opportunities;
— very limited travel industry.
Ian Todd
Acting Secretary, Northern Region AoC
October 1999
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