It is important for large companies to urge their workers to sign up for training programmes, such as plumbing courses.

This is the view of Guardian writer Norman Pickavance, who pointed to rising unemployment as a good reason for young people to get trained up in different skills.

By this logic, workers would be putting themselves in a better position by signing up to plumbing courses and other qualifications.

Mr Pickavance noted: "It is encouraging to see that the new government has committed itself to creating an additional 50,000 apprenticeship places and preserving funding for programmes for 16 to 19-year-olds."

However, he stressed that it is also up to the private sector to play a guiding role, by encouraging employees to complete courses that will allow them to better carry out their job or get a promotion.

Last week, Fiona McIntosh remarked in the Mirror that the world is "crying out" for more workers who have taken plumber training courses.

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