A TRAINING body is struggling to fill more than 60 apprenticeships – even though 3,500 young people in East Lancashire are searching for work.

The roles at Accrington-based North Lancs Training Group are in a wide variety of sectors, including catering, administration, joinery and manufacturing.

But despite school visits and other advertising, the apprenticeships are still up for grabs.

Bosses blamed the problem on schools.

Managing director Jim Harkness said: “Apprentices are a great thing for the future but some youngsters are being sold the idea that if they don’t do their A-levels and get a degree they are failures.

"But there are other ways in life of becoming a successful person, and an apprenticeship is one of them.”

NLTG has 64 apprentice vacancies in East Lancashire, including 11 in Rossendale, 23 in the Ribble Valley, 10 in Burnley and Pendle and 20 in Blackburn and Hyndburn.

The raft of unfilled roles was revealed during National Apprenticeship Week, which is organised to encourage more youngsters into a trade.

Rolls-Royce, which employs 1,000 at its Barnoldswick plants, is one firm backing apprenticeships.

Neil Fowkes, the aerospace firm’s learning delivery manager, said: “Rolls-Royce sees high-calibre apprenticeships as vital for the success of the company.”

Figures show 3,525 18 to 24-year-olds in East Lancashire claimed Jobseekers’ Allowance in December.