Chamber continues partnership with Birmingham City University to promote graduate recruitment service

Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce is continuing its work with Birmingham City University to promote Higher Level Skills Match Plus, a fully funded graduate recruitment service supporting Birmingham-based employers to access higher-level talent.

The programme connects businesses with graduates and final-year students from across the city’s universities, providing a streamlined route into the local talent pipeline.

Participating employers benefit from dedicated, end-to-end recruitment support, including vacancy promotion, candidate shortlisting, and guidance on inclusive recruitment practices, alongside ongoing support to aid retention and progression.

Delivered at no cost to employers, the initiative is designed to help reduce barriers to recruitment and make it easier for businesses to access the skills they need.

Alongside this, a series of upcoming webinars will offer additional practical support to businesses looking to develop their workforce and make the most of available funding opportunities.

On 10 March, the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) will host a session focused on how employers can access the Apprenticeship Levy Gifting Scheme.

The webinar will explore how unused levy funds can be transferred to support SMEs, how the process works in practice, and how businesses can maximise the impact of training investment without increasing costs, while also delivering wider social value.

Later in the month, on 24 March, Qwello will deliver a “Bid Writing 101” session, designed to support businesses in developing stronger funding applications.

The session will cover the fundamentals of bid writing, including how to structure clear and persuasive responses, avoid common mistakes, and better understand funder expectations, scoring criteria and evidence requirements.

Businesses interested in attending either session can find further details and register here

Further information on Higher Level Skills Match Plus, including how to access the service, is available here.

Emily Stubbs, the GBCC’s head of policy, said: “We’re pleased to be working with Birmingham City University to help promote Higher Level Skills Match Plus and raise awareness of the support available to local employers, ensuring that businesses are informed about initiatives to strengthen access to graduate talent and wider opportunities to build skills and access funding"