BOLTON Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside has hit out at failings in the education system which he says have created a skills shortage in UK business.

Mr Gartside, who is also chairman of the Chambers of Commerce North-west, said: "The current acute skills shortages within the economy are the result of a cycle of failings within our education and training system.

"The failings originate in schools and continue through to further education colleges, universities and adult skills development.

"The result is that businesses are forced to recruit people without basic skills - including IT and communication skills - and employers can't find people trained with higher-level vocational skills."

Mr Gartside's comments follow the publication of the Government's Skills White Paper, which is due to be introduced to Parliament as a bill later this year.

He said that the regional Chamber network broadly welcomed some of the key principles in the White Paper, especially the call for employers to be given a greater role in the design of vocational qualifications, and identifying skills and training needs.

He said: "Young people must have good basic skills before they enter employment.

"It is not the role of the employer to teach basic skills but the role of the education system.

"Parts of our education system still seem to be provider-led rather than customer-led. In the business world, that would be commercial disaster.

"In the education world, that is a waste of public money and a recipe, ultimately, for a less-skilled and less well-educated workforce.

"Radical solutions are needed that place businesses at the heart of the skills agenda.

"There are far too many Government agencies and institutions who maintain that they know best about how to take forward this agenda.

"Yet, year on year, we see our employers reporting difficulties finding the right staff.

"We need a comprehensive review of the plethora of agencies and bodies involved in the skills arena and they must be reduced and streamlined.

"Young people need education and training. They should not have to be faced with a choice of education or training."