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A 13 year old schoolboy has urged business leaders in Cumbria to act now to address the predicted future skills shortages in the county.

In a speech to the CBI’s Enterprise and Business Excellence conference Alex called on Cumbria businesses and the public sector to come together to understand the aspirations of a ‘new young enterprise society.’

Alex a pupil at Sedbergh School in the south of the county said young people were keen to stay in Cumbria or to return after their education. But he stressed that the right opportunities had to be made available and the work to make that happen – and to attract skilled young people from other areas had to get underway now if Cumbria was to avoid the problems a skills shortage would cause its economy.

The youngster added:  “The attraction of major cities and the lure of higher salaries in the south makes it difficult for manufacturing employers in the north to entice young people to either come to Cumbria for the first time or return here when they have finished their full time education.”

Alex said schools  need to be more than ‘just exam factories’ and welcomed the new University of Cumbria and its ambitions to work closely with business, schools and further education to secure the economic future of Cumbria. He added that more apprenticeships are needed with government and business working together to secure the supply of craft skills.