The regional skills assessment report examines skills trends in the West Midlands region from 2005-2009. It finds that key growth sectors are ICT, tourism, construction, education, and health. There is a need for higher-level technical skills and generic skills like management, ICT, and customer service. These skills will be most needed in major cities and towns in the region, especially Birmingham, Solihull, and Coventry, which are focuses of investment and economic development. The report discusses skills gaps, shortages, and priorities for the regional economic strategy.
West Midlands Regional Skills Assessment 2009: Key findings - skills for tomorrow
1. Regional Skills Assessment 2009 Key findings – skills for tomorrow Observatory Conference 20th October 2009 West Midlands Regional Observatory 2009
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5. Job growth in the last 4 years Source: ABI Low High Share of employment in 2007 Employment growth 2003-2007 Low High Emerging sectors and clusters ICT & telecoms and ICT cluster Hotels & catering and tourism & leisure cluster Construction and building technologies cluster Education Education & entertainment media cluster Environmental technologies cluster Medical technologies cluster Drivers of employment growth Business and Professional Services Health and Social Care Declining in employment terms – but market opportunities in specific areas Engineering and transport technologies cluster Other Manufacturing and lifestyle & interiors cluster Food & drink
6. Workforce profile by cluster and age in 2008 Source: ONS Annual Population Survey
8. Skills-shortage vacancies by sector England average West Midlands average Source: LSC National Employer Skills Survey 2007
9. Percentage difference in vacancies notified to Job Centres by sector, June 2008 – June 2009 Source: NOMIS (JCP)
10. SMEs using the Train to Gain service (Cumulative totals) Source: Business Link West Midlands/ LSC
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Editor's Notes
Source: ONS Annual Population Survey 2008
Areas of job growth in personal services include care workers, healthcare assistants and other staff in the health and social care sector Areas of job growth in professional and associate professional jobs include nurses, teachers and IT professionals Source: Jobcentre Plus
In business & professional services employment has grown by 15% In health & social care employment has grown by 14% In ICT & telecoms employment has expanded by 35% in Telford & Wrekin and by 30% in Coventry Engineering employment has declined by 39% in Walsall, 30% in Wolverhampton, 34% in Birmingham and 33% in Coventry Employment in other manufacturing industries has declined by 30% in Coventry, 28% in Wolverhampton and 20% in Walsall
Source: Observatory Integrated Policy Model – based on Cambridge Econometrics sectoral and regional projections