Lord Sugar speaks up for the ‘forgotten fifty percent’ at NABS event
Lord Sugar has spoken out in defence of the 50% of school leavers who finish their education without achieving stellar grades, saying they have much to offer in the workplace.
Speaking at a NABS organised youth charity event Sugar said: “"The plight of many young people leaving school these days concerns me. Those who are academic are likely to be fine - teachers are interested in them because they get them Ofsted points. The rest fall through the system.
"Apprenticeships are the answer, specifically learning on the job. But the government needs to incentivise companies to take on these 16 year-olds and acknowledge the resource this consumes."
Sugar then rounded on the government for their perceived failure to promote buying British goods, saying: “The Government needs to prioritise contracts for British companies over foreign ones. Yes it may cost more, but it would be creating jobs here in the UK where we need them. The French do it well, all of their infrastructure is French-owned and built. This is the model we need to follow."
The Apprentice star then went on to advocate increased taxation of foreign firms enjoying big sales in the UK as a means of raising much needed revenue.