Aims and objectives
Our skills assessment builds on work we completed in 2010 to inform the West Midlands Skills Partnership in developing a statement of strategic skills priorities for the West Midlands.
Our policy supplement report (pdf, 831kb), which was underpinned by a review of prospects for the West Midlands economy post recession (pdf, 843kb) and analysis of potential job creation at impact investment locations (pdf, 662kb), highlighted an urgent need to create more and better jobs, and to identify key sources of employment growth.
Our 2010 skills assessment provides additional intelligence to inform the work of ‘task & finish’ groups set up by the West Midlands Skills Partnership to take forward key issues highlighted in the statement of strategic skills priorities. These included:
- Improving careers information, advice and guidance
- Developing a coherent skills offer for inward investors
- Facilitating better collaborative working between employers, colleges and universities
The research has informed, and was informed by, the work of local authorities to develop local economic assessments for their areas. We have worked closely with the regional economic development officers group and their local economic assessment steering group, we'll incorporated key local intelligence available into the skills assessment and filled gaps in coverage.
The Skills Assessment also provides intelligence at sub-regional and local levels to inform strategic thinking and priority setting of the new Local Enterprise Partnerships.
Published reports
Published 4 October 2010
Briefing paper one: The local impact of public sector job cuts (pdf, 351kb)
Published 3 December 2010
Briefing paper two: Achieving transformational change - implications for the economy, jobs and skills (pdf, 408kb)
Published 4 February 2011
Briefing paper three: Skill gaps and deficiencies - key issues and challenges (pdf, 572kb)
Briefing paper four: The supply of and demand for employment at a local level (pdf, 696kb)