“Here in the Black Country we have a proud industrial heritage. But as a country we should be ashamed of ourselves for importing masons, welders and other skilled trades from abroad rather than developing our own. We need to create more skilled manufacturing and construction jobs for local people – and that means finding the right training.

“What we need is to start with what our economy needs, tailor training to that, and provide more, better-skilled workers ready for better jobs with higher wages. Our new skills system must address jobs in shortage – and rather than creating more visas for skilled migrant workers, train British workers for these jobs.

“The Conservatives have overseen a decade of skills decline, and it has impoverished communities like ours in the Black Country. Across our region and across the UK, employers are unable to fill vacancies – with more than A third of vacancies are due to skills shortages.

“One example is the shortage of laboratory technicians in our growing life sciences sector. The government should ensure that courses for laboratory technicians are delivered, funded and completed. And this will mean that young people will have access to a job that suits them. higher salary, higher skills and meets the needs of employers.

“It is clear that we need an overhaul of our skills system, to enable British industry to thrive again and return wealth to our communities. And that is what the new Labor government will do TO DO.

“I will continue to lobby ministers on this to ensure we have a skills system that meets our expectations, so we can put the Black Country back where it belongs, as the beating heart of the British industry.”

Submitted by Matthew Bingham