ALMOST one in seven of Northamptonshire's potential workforce has no educational qualification, latest figures show.
The numbers come from an Education and Skills Council document, showing the most up-to-date detailed picture of education and training in the county.
It shows that at the last count there were 56,000 unqualified people of working age in Northampto
nshire who have no qualifications such as GCSEs, NVQs or equivalents.
The total, based on data taken in 2007, translates to about 14.3 per cent of the working age population, more than one per cent higher than the East Midlands average and almost two per cent higher than the average for England.
The figures also show a total of 72,000 have attained the equivalent of GCSE grades no higher than a D or no higher than an NVQ level 1.
Sally Keeble, Labour's MP for Northampton North, said the figures highlighted "very serious problems" which would follow people through their lives.
She said: "This is a measure of the historic under-performance of Northampton's schools.
"And this has really held Northampton back very badly because it's meant employers have not been able to get the skilled workers they need."
Brian Binley, Conservative MP for Northampton South, called for more Government money for small businesses to fund apprenticeships and for skills training to be handled at a county rather than regional level.
He added: "The figures are a disaster for county businesses.
"If we don't take skills training seriously our children and grandchildren will be living in a third rate nation."
Northamptonshire County Councillor Joan Kirkbride, the education portfolio holder in 2007, said the figures reflected "a particularly difficult year" when schools were moving from a three -tier to a two-tier system.
She said: "None of us wants a child to leave school without a qualification.
"It's one of the things we are working on. We start with children's centres to prepare them for education and continue from there.
"We are just starting to see bigger improvements in education and certainly in GCSE results."
Mrs Kirkbride acknowledged that the education system sometimes does not cater well for less academic youngsters and also urged local businesses to try to take on more apprentices.
She said: "I know times are difficult but in some ways it's now a good time to try to take on apprenticeships.
"They can pass on the skills so that when the upturn comes employers are ready with a workforce with the right skills in place."
