The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has unveiled a web-based talent management system for the manufacturing sector that will match skilled workers with UK companies will job vacancies to fill.

The system, known as the Talent Retention Solution (TRS), will be fully operational by January 2012, by which time 1,500 UK companies will be on board, a statement from BIS said. It contain live data on workers and employers, separated out by skills and location.

Demand for skilled workers in the engineering and manufacturing industry far exceeds supply, the BIS statement said. Mark Prisk, the Minister for Business and Enterprise, said the system is designed to ensure skilled workers are not lost to other countries or industries. 

"This easily accessible web based system will play a vital role in ensuring that these skills are not lost by redeploying highly skilled workers into growing sectors of advanced manufacturing such as automotive, energy, infrastructure and aerospace," Prisk said.

The site will initially be focused on finding skilled workers for the defense sector. However, other engineering companies including Rolls Royce, Siemens, Nissan, and Airbus have already signed up to use it.