Picture: From left: Alan Reed, Sue McLeod and Nick Horton

by business editor Trevor Sturgess

Education chiefs have called on firms in North Kent and Medway to make young people work-ready by offering more student placements.

The plea came from the University of Greenwich and MidKent College at a forum hosted by law firm Thomson Snell and Passmore.

Speaking at Shorne Woods Country Park, near Gravesend, Professor Alan Reed, the university's director of regional development, regretted the shortage of businesses offering placements.

He urged more to take on students for a year as part of a "sandwich" approach to their degree studies.

Short-term placements would make them more "business-ready," he said.

"There are real benefits to employing a student at a cost of only £12,000. These undergraduates bring new ideas and a fresh perspective to businesses in whatever area they are asked to work on."

Nick Horton, forum chairman and TSP's head of dispute resolution, said recruitment of highly skilled people was challenging. "Linking such competent graduates with Kent businesses will undoubtedly help to add value to the Thames Gateway area and retain skilled workers in Kent and Medway."

MidKent College is increasing the number of apprenticeships on offer through its links with companies countywide.

Vice principal Sue McLeod said: "The key is to embed employability skills into flexible vocational degrees, which means offering programmes that have been written jointly with industry and including work-based assessments."

• More information from Kamal Aggarwal, head of the TSP Thames Gateway Office, on 01322 623702 or kamal.aggarwal@ts-p.co.uk, the University of Greenwich on 020 8331 7867, or email: enterprise@gre.ac.uk, or MidKent College on 01634 383133.