Whittle urges backing for Ayrshire engineering. Report reveals need for more engineers amid training decline and college budget cuts.
The report says companies need more engineers. Fewer engineers are getting training. Whittle said budget cuts hurt colleges. Ayrshire College saw cuts of nearly 20%. Other colleges also experienced this.
Businesses near Prestwick Airport may need 1,500 workers. XLCC at Hunterston also needs workers. Whittle believes 5,000 jobs could appear. He challenged the Scottish Government.
He wants them to see the economic potential. He said businesses need workers to expand. He thinks the college needs more money and apprenticeships.
Graeme Dey is a government minister. He is aware of the opportunities at Ayrshire College. He will keep talking with them. Dey said the Conservatives want tax cuts. These cuts would reduce public funds.
Whittle spoke after the debate. He said Ayrshire has great engineering firms. Many want to invest and expand. They all face the same issue: there are not enough trained workers.
Apprenticeships can solve this problem. Ayrshire College offers crucial training. The government is cutting the college’s budget. This makes things harder.
Whittle thinks cutting college budgets is wrong. He believes governments should support colleges. He wants to help Ayrshire’s engineering sector expand. He thinks that is vital for economic growth.
