The North West's construction industry faces a "workforce time bomb" and risks suffering a serious skills shortfall due to its ageing employees.
ConstructionSkills, the industry's Sector Skills Council, today warned employers to recruit and train more diverse employees at the launch of Positive Image, a new recruitment campaign which aims to tackle the problem.
The number of older workers (a
ged 60 and over) in the industry has doubled since the early 1990s, while those aged 24 and under has fallen by 27%.
Invester in JJB cut backSTANDARD Life Investments has cut its stake in Wigan-based JJB Sports.
It now holds about 16.48 million shares in the retailer and health club operator, compared with 19.08 million previously, according to a stock exchange statement released by JJB.
Boost to telecomsWIGAN businesses have swollen the order books of telecoms provider ntl:Telewest Business.
The telco, part of Virgin Media, has seen a 50% increase in orders for next generation services that offer higher capacity voice and data links compared to the same time last year.
Get a job with trustMORE than 7,000 people across Greater Manchester will be supported to find work thanks to a powerful new programme launched by national charity Shaw Trust.
The boost to help local people move from benefits into work over the next three years is being co-funded by the European Social Fund and the Department for Work and Pensions.
The full article contains 242 words and appears in Wigan Evening Post newspaper.
