Further education training providers unveil new one stop shop for employers
Colleges and training providers across the West Midlands and Warwickshire have come together to launch a new brand, website and advertising campaign which creates a one stop shop for employers and their workforce.
Skills West Midlands and Warwickshire is part of the Local Skills and Improvement Plan (LSIP) with funding through the Department for Education’s Local Skills and Improvement Fund (LSIF).
Alongside the launch of Skills WM+W, a report reveals detailed research and analysis into the opportunities and challenges around skills in four priority growth sectors: construction, engineering and manufacturing, digital and ICT and logistics and distribution.
Post 16 education and training providers are coming together at a crucial time to upskill and reskill the region’s workforce. They promise to put employers at the heart of the skills planning process, so businesses have the people and skills they need to innovate, grow and thrive.
Skills WM+W has the potential to transform the way colleges engage with employers, delivering a more agile and responsive service that better aligns with employer needs. With this new way of working training providers hope to play an even bigger part in the region’s growth story.
An advertising campaign launches this week, appearing on social media, digital outdoor posters and in online programmatic display.
A limited number of places are available at these sessions.
To find out more, join Skills West Midlands + Warwickshire at the ‘Bringing businesses and training providers together for growth’ events from 9.00am to 12 midday at:
Commenting on the launch , Suzie Branch-Haddow of Birmingham Metropolitan College and lead project manager of Skills WM +W said: “Skills West Midlands and Warwickshire is a regional growth strategy.
“Many colleges and training providers are working well with employers. They tell us they are largely satisfied with the technical skills taught in colleges. But we need to go deeper, harder and faster.
“Skills WM+W is our statement of intent that will see us work better together and engage even deeper with employers. We have listened and this is the first chance to show employers what we are doing. It is massive step up for our sector and not without its challenges in a competitive market.
“We know the jobs are there; the growth potential is there. But there are serious challenges, not least in addressing acute labour shortages right now and real problems with soft and essential skills.
“This is a big opportunity. I hope employers will recognise that we see their business as our business.”
Further education already takes a central role in supporting skills development across the region. It comprises 70 providers and teaches around 120,000 students. However, the role of FE amongst a significant number of employers is either unknown or misunderstood.
Skills West Midlands and Warwickshire is set to deliver on the Local Skills Improvement Plan published in 2023 which laid out a clear roadmap.
