West Midlands business training initiative draws praise from Government minister

Skills West Midlands + Warwickshire, a body formed by further education colleges and independent training providers across the West Midlands region as a "one-stop shop" for business, has marked its first successful year by presenting Skills Partnership Awards to employers which have invested in education and training. 

Set up to support delivery of the region’s Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP), the intiative aims to foster greater collaboration between local enterprise and the education sector, raising awareness of the training support readily available to businesses from further education institutions and aligning skills provision more closely with the real needs of employers.

The celebration event, staged at PwC’s offices in Paradise, Birmingham on March 7, also featured remarks from the Skills Minister, Baroness Smith of Malvern, and the Mayor of the West Midlands, Richard Parker.

Speaking at the event, Suzie Branch-Haddow, chair of the Skills WM+W Steering Group and Vice Principal at BMet, said: “I’m so pleased that we’ve recognised some great businesses. What we learn from them is that businesses which are engaged with the FE system experience improved recruitment and retention of staff. In short, business engagement pays dividends and makes our products better.”

“Skills West Midlands + Warwickshire is bringing two worlds closer together, demystifying the world of further and technical education. Our task is to inspire, to engage with business and to remove barriers – visible or invisible. We’re in the business of offering skills solutions.

“We’re changing the culture around how we work and how we engage with employers. More fundamentally, we’re in the business of changing lives. Not just equipping people with skills and qualifications but giving them the confidence to succeed.”

Over the next year, Skills West Midlands + Warwickshire says it aims to increase the number of partnerships with SMEs; increase employer satisfaction in skills and training provision and inspire employers to co-create a suite of training solutions with trusted providers.

The organisation launched three "Innovation Hubs" backed by WMCA and Innovate UK, who they say are driving regional business innovation through technology adoption and training for small businesses.

Also at the event was Skills Minister Jacqui Smith, who praised the collaboration for offering a "genuine partnership" approach.

"Skills West Midlands and Warwickshire is showing exactly how the system should work, bringing education providers and businesses together to address skills gaps and create real opportunities for young people and adults alike," she said. 

"Whether students have a clear career path in mind, or are still figuring it out, they need access to high-quality training, work experience and careers advice to help them succeed.

"Through local skills improvement plans and direct collaboration between employers and further education providers, we're seeing a shift from competition to genuine partnership.

“This joined-up approach doesn’t just fill vacancies, it gives students the confidence, direction and opportunities they need to build successful careers, while strengthening the workforce in the region’s key industries."

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands added: “Only by working together can we tackle the unemployment challenge in the West Midlands. By strengthening relationships with employers and improving how we design and deliver training, we can unleash the potential of people and help businesses grow.

" It’s why it is important to celebrate how Skills West Midlands and Warwickshire is supporting businesses to build the workforce in growth industries of the future.”