Chambers move to solve West Midlands skills crisis

Black Country Chamber of Commerce, Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce have been selected by the Department for Education to lead on the region’s Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP).

LSIPs have been designed by Government to put employers at the centre of the skills system in their region and to build a stronger, more dynamic partnership between employers and further education providers.

It will mean skills provision can be more responsive to the local labour market needs.

The chambers across the West Midlands will now carry out a detailed research exercise – including online surveys, roundtable events, telephone calls and one-to-one meetings with employers.

Crucially, that research will go beyond chamber membership and will include businesses affiliated to other representative organisations in the region as well as companies that are not members of a business body.

It will result in a report that identifies the true needs of employers in the region and will set out a plan to work with education and skills providers to help deliver provision that businesses require.

That report will remain ‘live’ so that shifting needs are identified and addressed.

Neil Anderson, director of external affairs of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, said: “This is a hugely positive and significant opportunity for the West Midlands. For too many years, those leading local firms have repeatedly emphasised a disconnect between skills policy and the needs of businesses.

“Building on the strength of the chambers as connectors at the forefront of business sentiment, the research will provide powerful evidence for partners and decisionmakers to ensure that business acquire talent with the right skills and build collaborations to power the region’s economy.”

Former Black Country chamber chief executive Corin Crane, now chief executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire chamber, said: “This is a game-changing shift in the way we look at the skills need of the economy as it will put employers in the region at the centre of what is required and what is delivered.

“That provision has previously been decided by Whitehall but Government recognises that employers know what is needed and, through the Local Skills Improvement Plan, Chambers across the West Midlands will be diligently gathering the information and then presenting a report.

“It’s vital that the report isn’t a static, one-off piece of work. It will remain live because everyone in business knows the skills need evolves and can change quickly. The plan must be able to respond to that.

“Here in Coventry and Warwickshire, we have great links with education providers so it will be exciting to be working with them on the LSIP and to be speaking to businesses of all sizes and sectors on what their needs are.”

Henrietta Brealey, chief executive of GBCC, said: “The fourth industrial revolution is fundamentally changing the way in which we live, work and do business. The Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce’s involvement in this programme is a great opportunity for us to inform and shape provision linked to digital transformation – with, and on behalf of, the local business community.

“We look forward to working with our neighbouring Chambers of Commerce, local stakeholders and educators to deliver a meaningful plan, incorporating and building on the significant work already underway to upskill talent across the region.

“What’s important now is ensuring that we also engage a diverse range of business voices, from all sizes and sectors across the region to shape our research and inform the priorities of the plan.”