West Midlands 'must invest in IT training'

16:55 29th April 2009

Businesses in the West Midlands believe it is crucial that the government provides greater funding for the development of IT training programmes and other methods to improve the skills of workers.

According to a new report from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), 82 per cent of managers in the region want tax concessions to be introduced to safeguard the skills of their workers.

"Business managers are convinced that a skilled workforce will be an integral part of the recovery process and are recommending that, especially in these difficult times, government should provide further financial support for skills development and training," said Lord John Eatwell, chief economist at the CMI.

IT training would be an important part of such an investment because of the government's aims to improve access to high speed internet services.

Ministers have set out proposals to ensure all homes and businesses have access to high-speed broadband connections by 2012, believing this will significantly help the country to remain competitive, but experts have warned people will need to be able to know how to use the technology if they are to benefit from it.