Welcome to the West Midlands region!
Projects in this region are indicated by a ‘Tick’ symbol on the Google map above. Click on the icon to see the name and a brief description of the project. The map’s regions are sourced from 1998 Government Office Regions of England, as produced by the Office of National Statistics Mapping Unit in 2003.
| Facts and figures | ||
|---|---|---|
| West Midlands | UK | |
| Population | 5.4m | 60.5m |
| Productivity (GVA per hour worked) | 91 | 100 |
| Employment rate as % of working population (GVA per hour worked) | 72.8 | 74.4 |
| Skills levels: % of economically active adults qualified to L4 | 27.5 | 31.1 |
| Enterprise: no. of VAT start ups / 10K population | 34 | 37 |
Regional Focus
Worklessness across the region
The West Midlands has a rate of worklessness above the England average, particularly in the major urban areas. There is a strong correlation between worklessness, deprivation, and other social problems.
Some groups and communities are more at risk of being workless. These include those with no qualifications or low level qualifications, the growing ethnic population, older age groups and offenders.
Adult basic skills and productivity
The West Midlands has the highest rates in the country of adults with no qualifications and those below Level 2. Relatively low rates of productivity among those in work account for a significant proportion of the region’s overall output gap with the England average. The region’s poor skills base is one of the key contributors to this gap.
Engagement in learning
This is essential if the region’s skills capital and the rates of participation in employment are to be improved. However, the West Midlands has the lowest proportion of the workforce participating in training in England. The Regional Skills Partnership has set out the ESF activities within three headings to emphasise the need to achieve better alignment between the supply of training with the needs of employers and the wider economy.
Client engagement: activities that aim to get clients to the point where they are ready to receive relevant education or training.
Client intervention: the development of skills and competencies to improve clients’ access to the labour market or their productivity within it.
Employer-led intervention: activities that specifically require the involvement of employers.
Raising awareness of work, enterprise and entrepreneurship among young people
Black Country Communities in the Lead has been delivering training and employment on an environmental theme, primarily with young people. The project boosts skills levels and employment opportunities through a range of work experience placements. This scheme tackles environmental issues on the estate while providing a valuable training resource.
The Balancing Act
The Balancing Act has been running pilot projects through which women with time constraints, usually due to caring responsibilities, can learn about and embark on self-employment. This approach has enabled these women to maintain a viable work-life balance while contributing to the UK economy.
