Skills in the West Midlands
The best performing organisations in the West Midlands are using the skills and talents of their people to produce high quality, world-class products and services. We need more people in the region developing their skills, to drive our economy and enable individuals and employers to reach their full potential.
The Government created Regional Skills Partnerships to encourage employers to work with funders, training providers and other key partners to develop a more demand-led approach to skills which centres on the needs of individuals, employers and the economy.
In every region, organisations including Regional Development Agencies are now focused on delivering more together than they could achieve by working alone.
The role of Advantage West Midlands in raising skills levels
Advantage West Midlands leads the work of the West Midlands Regional Skills Partnership, a group which brings together employers, funders and training providers to align the supply of skills with the needs of the economy of the West Midlands.
In the past, Advantage West Midlands invested significantly in skills projects. However, the introduction of the Regional Skills Partnership has led to a change of direction and funding policy.
Advantage West Midlands' contribution to improving the region's skills levels is now to:
provide secretariat support to the West Midlands Regional Skills Partnership
lead the work of the West Midlands Regional Skills Partnership by gaining a better understanding of skills needs through data collection and analysis (undertaken by the West Midlands Regional Observatory)
focus our own investment on higher level skills (leadership, management, entrepreneurship and graduate level skills) that are needed to improve innovation and business performance. This includes jointly funding programmes of work with employers. Partners such as the Learning and Skills Council have the responsibility and the resource to invest in other skills activities including basic skills
ensure that support for training and development is integrated with the provision of more general business support, through Business Link West Midlands.
All financial support offered through Advantage West Midlands is provided in accordance with State Aid rules.