EMPLOYERS in Kirklees have been urged to bid for a share of a £150m pot to improve their training activities.

A second round of the Government’s Employer Ownership of Skills pilot was launched by skills minister Matthew Hancock last month.

The scheme enables businesses to bid for funding to create projects which will deliver the skills they need to grow.

Employers can find out more about the project at a free workshop from noon to 2pm tomorrow at the offices of DLA Piper in Leeds.

The event will be hosted by Neil McLean, a UK commissioner and chairman of the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership.

Mr McLean said: “Across the UK, but particularly in the Yorkshire region, our research shows there is a clear need for more businesses to address their skill needs now if they are to be competitive.

“Ambitious employers must think carefully about how they can develop their workforce, taking account of skills which are missing or identifying those which have the potential to support business growth.

“Through collaborating across a sector, region or supply chain to form partnerships with training providers and other organisations, businesses can design, develop and implement the types of innovative projects we know can have a lasting impact.

“I would urge employers of all sizes to attend this event to learn more about how the pilot might be of benefit.”

Latest figures from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills show that a third of all vacancies are hard to fill in the Yorkshire and Humber region – suggesting a shortage of suitable applicants in the area.

The regional figure is slightly worse than the average for England where 22% of vacancies are difficult to fill.

For further details of the event, visit www.ukces.org.uk/employerownership