The government's commitment to supporting skills and innovation must be safeguarded as a key priority for the forthcoming government spending review, according to EEF, the manufacturers' organization. Publishing its submission on behalf of 18 manufacturing organizations, EEF backed its call with survey evidence showing that UK manufacturers regard the skills available to them as continuing to constrain efforts to improve productivity. This compared with companies in France and Germany who rated the skills available as a positive factor in improving their productivity. In response, EEF has urged the government to remove the age cap on apprenticeships incrementally so that by 2008/9 all those people entering an Advanced Apprenticeship are fully funded. The EEF also wants to see and Increase in funding for careers information, advice and guidance to back the recent announcement on boosting apprenticeships and vocational education.
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