West Midlands floundering when it comes to education and qualifications
The West Midlands is floundering when it comes to producing people with the qualifications they need.
Figures released from the most recent Census reveal only one local authority in the region deemed to be above the national average.
An average total of 33.8 per cent of residents aged 16 and over – 16.4 million people – had Level 4 or above qualifications across England and Wales, the data from the 2021 census suggests.
But only Stafford at 35.1 per cent boasts a figure above that average.
The rest fall below, with Walsall, Cannock Chase, Sandwell and Stoke-on-Trent all at or below 25 per cent.
The figures, released by the Office of National Statistics, found that the region with the highest percentage of the population with Level 4 or above qualifications was London with 46.7 per cent – 3.3 million people.
The percentage was "considerably higher" than all other regions, the ONS said.
Nearly half of people in London also hold a degree or a similar qualification, according to census data.
The ONS figures reveal large regional differences across England and Wales in the proportion of residents with important qualifications.
Data from the 2021 census also suggests that the region with the highest proportion of unqualified residents was the West Midlands, where 21.1 per cent – one million people – reported having no qualifications. That compares to a national average of 18.2 per cent.
Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) think tank, said: "The numbers are stark. While they show how amazingly well-educated Londoners are relative to other areas, they also highlight the importance of education in true levelling up.
"London does well partly because people move there but also because the education system in the capital is very good, thanks to conscious decisions by policymakers over many years.
"If other areas are to compete with London, they need similar levels of investment and commitment. The jury is out on whether that is likely to happen given recent political changes."
Census deputy director Jon Wroth-Smith said: "Today's Census 2021 data shows the region with the highest proportion of people with Level 4 or above qualifications was London, where nearly half of adults hold a qualification such as a Higher National Certificate, Higher National Diploma, Bachelors degree or post-graduate qualification.
"The percentage in London was considerably higher than all the other regions, led by the South East.
"The region with the lowest proportion of people with Level 4 or above qualifications was the North East, with the East Midlands at a similar level, while the region with the highest proportion of people with no qualifications was the West Midlands, around one in five adults."
