BUSINESS Secretary Vince Cable has urged Worcestershire to keep up its brilliant work on apprenticeships - after it smashed its target months earlier than expected.

The number of apprentices hit 10,000 last year, a 200 per cent increase in just three years across the county.

The milestone meant Worcestershire's Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) achieved its 2015 target several months early - a figure which has made a significant contribution to tackling unemployment.

During a House of Commons debate on the issue, Worcester MP Robin Walker said it was vital LEPs were given the "power" to boost it further.

Mr Cable said Worcestershire was one of the examples where focusing on apprenticeships has really paid off.

Mr Walker told him: "Does he agree that LEPs can be great champions of apprenticeships when they have been given the power to do so?

"Worcestershire's LEP has announced that the ambitious target it set itself of having 10,000 people participating in apprenticeships in the county by 2015 has already been achieved.

"Is that not an example of how by using the existing structures in our existing counties, rather than creating artificial regions, we can drive forward apprenticeships and skills."

Mr Cable replied: "Yes, that is one of the examples (Worcestershire).

"The LEPs have demonstrated the success of devolution and there are many other models.

"There are many local examples and that is what we should be trying to achieve."

In July last year the LEP was handed £47 million from central Government towards a 'wish list' of projects totalling £250 million.

Two weeks ago ministers announced it had secured another £7 million, including the creation of 600 additional apprenticeships by 2020.

In reaching the tally of 10,000, it meant the number of engineering and manufacturing apprenticeships in Worcestershire grew by almost 12 per cent between 2011 and last autumn.

From June 2011 to September last year, Worcestershire has seen an increase of eight per cent in employment levels which compares favourably with a 4.7 per cent increase in the West Midlands and 4.8 per cent across England.

More than £600 million of private sector investment has been sunk into the county during that period.

Peter Pawsey, LEP chairman, said: "We will continue to work with businesses and partner organisations for the long term prosperity of Worcestershire, raising its profile regionally, nationally and internationally as a world class place."