Colleges across the partnership share their learner data each year to feed into aggregated reports which show how their combined strength and breadth of provision impacts on learning and skills across the West Midlands Region.
Collectively Colleges West Midlands is widely recognised for the valuable contribution we make in transforming the lives of adults and young people through shaping and focusing the FE resource, working collaboratively, so that it delivers provision more effectively across the region.
The dashboard is structured according to the three main learner groups: adult learners, 16-19 learners and apprentices.
Headlines and progress against regional targets
High volumes
- Over 104,000 learners enrolled to funded provision, excluding Community Learning provision.
- Adult learner numbers dipped in 2020/21 as a result of the Covid pandemic but most of the loss was recovered in 2021/22.
- 16-19 learners increased by 4% over three years but there was a sharp decline in apprenticeship numbers over the same period.
Steady growth at level 3+
Colleges were asked to prioritise growth in numbers at level 3 and above and this was achieved consistently, year-on-year across adult and 16-19 provison.
There was a 56% growth in the number of adults learning at level 3, a less sharp growth in young people and a slight decline in the number of apprentices at advanced level.
At level 4, AEB funded provision grew by over 2,000% from a small start to 407 learners in 2021/22.
Strong Priority Sector growth
CWM have focused on growing provision across the following four sectors over the past few years: Business and Administration, Construction, Engineering and ICT/Digital. All four areas saw strong growth. There was an aggregated growth of 22% across adult and 16-19 provision to 27,441 in 2021/22.
New For Employment provision
There was rapid growth in the new programmes targeted specifically at supporting residents into employment or to progress in employment. These came in from 2019 and are funded either through the DfE Free Courses for Jobs or the WMCA’s Adult Education Budget.
About the data
Information in the 2021/22 dashboard was produced by the CWM team following analysis of data tables provided by RCU Ltd, the leading research and data company in the FE sector.
RCU obtained express consent from CWM colleges to include their ILR data in their reports in which no learner or college is identified and numbers less than three were suppressed.
Reports exclude learners on community learning or offender learning provision.
Figures include learners and learning that is active at any point during the relevant academic year who remain on programme for the qualifying period.
Data relates to the three years to 2021/22 for the 17 members in 2022:
| Birmingham Metropolitan College, City of Wolverhampton College, Coventry College, Dudley College of Technology, Halesowen College, Heart of Worcestershire College, Kidderminster College, North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College, Solihull College and University Centre, South and City College Birmingham, South Staffordshire College, Telford College, Walsall College Joseph Chamberlain College, Fircroft College of Adult Education, Hereward College of Further Education, Queen Alexandra College | |
| Data relates to the three years to 2021/22 for the 17 members in 2022. List names Birmingham Metropolitan College, City of Wolverhampton College, Coventry College, Dudley College of Technology, Halesowen College, Heart of Worcestershire College, Kidderminster College, North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College, Solihull College and University Centre, South and City College Birmingham, South Staffordshire College, Telford College, Walsall College Joseph Chamberlain College, Fircroft College of Adult Education, Hereward College of Further Education, Queen Alexandra College | |
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