West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has urged county businesses to join a scheme which matches students with work experience opportunities. The scheme, which is backed by all 29 Worcestershire schools, was launched earlier this year and has now got more than 150 businesses signed up. Harriett was last week given a demonstration of the web portal www.worcestershireskillscentral.co.uk which will allow employers to offer work experience and apprenticeships to local students. Harriett said: “Many companies complain to me that they are struggling to find new staff to fill new vacancies and often I put them in touch with a local school or college to find candidates. “We have high schools packed full of talented and enthusiastic young people looking to start out on work careers. This new portal will match them with employers who have opportunities to get some work experience. “Work experience gives people an idea about what they do and sometimes don’t want to do as a career. “I encourage local students to have a look at the website and I will also make sure I promote this initiative to local employers and hope that we see a rise in take up of work experience opportunities next summer.”