Positive discrimination for engineering and technical courses is vital if Britain is to bridge its widening skills gap, the head of an automotive education group has claimed.
Bryan McGinity, managing director of the Automotive Academy said more youngsters would take up the courses if they were relieved of the burden of £3,000 per year tuition fees.
Changing the perception of manufacturing and engineering was also important, but would be insufficient on its own, he added.
He said: "We have got a problem attracting young people into engineering and we need to do something about it.
"This could be something novel like having positive discrimination. The Government already does it with candidates, to ensure there is a representative mix of women and people from ethnic minorities on bodies, and we should look at introducing it into the manufacturing and engineering sector.
"We should do something to attract youngsters here rather than other areas. If we carry on like we are doing there are going to be bigger problems in the future."
Mr McGinity said free courses could provide a boost, if allied to a campaign to change views about industry.
"It would give an opportunity to show people that we have engineering companies in this country that are modern, cutting edge and successful.
Mr McGinity had submitted his views to the Treasury's Leitch Inquiry into skills which is due to report next month.
