Priority Sector Skills
Construction Gateway
Colleges across the West Midlands play a pivotal role in supporting the construction industry by offering a diverse range of training programs, apprenticeships, recruitment support and collaborative initiatives tailored to meet the sector’s evolving needs in terms of traditional Construction Trades, Building Engineering Services, Professional trades, Modern Methods of Construction and Retrofit.
These institutions collectively contribute to the construction industry’s growth in the West Midlands by working in partnership with employers and their Employer Representative Bodies including CECA, CITB, Constructure (previously CCATF), ECA, FMB, HBF. Strategic agency partners WMCA, DWP, NCS and Gatsby alongside awarding organisations City and Guilds and NOCN enable the group to focus on developing a skilled workforce, fostering industry partnerships, and aligning educational programs with sector demands.
Recently the Construction Gateway programme has been developed by the West Midlands Combined Authority, this free recruitment and basic training program is available to all West Midlands-based construction companies. Employers can influence the content of the training program to align with their organisation’s needs, helping to build a ‘work-ready’ bank of construction workers.
Advanced Manufacturing
The group aims to design, coordinate and deliver automotive, engineering and manufacturing programmes that meet the needs of employers, residents and the regional economy. It will support collaboration across CWM colleges, build capacity and work strategically with partners to ensure skills provision reflects current and emerging technologies, including automation, digitisation and sustainability.
The group will work with key stakeholders, including WMCA, DWP, DfE, NCS, local authorities, awarding organisations, employer representative bodies (including Chambers of Commerce, LSIPs and the WM Growth Company) and other regional networks. This will help develop a coherent, inclusive and future-focused skills offer across the West Midlands and Warwickshire.
The group will be working towards the following:
- Regional map of provision
- Calendar of events
- Increase Learner Participation
- Launch an AI Staff Development Programme
Digital & AI
One of the most complex challenges the economy and society face is how we adopt and adapt digital across every aspect of business and day to day life. To support a cohesive approach colleges across the West Midlands has established the Digital group to play a pivotal role in supporting:
- The Digital industry.
- Supporting other sectors to embrace digital skills and digital innovation.
- Equipping our community with the digital skills they need to function effectively in society and the economy.
- Supporting colleges to implement digital solutions to every aspect of their business from teaching and learning to all our business support functions.
With regards the Digital industry and other sectors we are offering a diverse range of training programs, apprenticeships, recruitment support and collaborative initiatives tailored to meet the sector’s evolving needs. These needs include traditional digital skills along with emerging technology such as Artificial Intelligence (AI).
These institutions collectively contribute to the Digital industry and other industries growth in the West Midlands by working in partnership with employers and their Employer Representative Bodies including ESN, Electric Revolution Skills Hub, Warwickshire Manufacturing Group. Strategic agency partners WMCA, DWP, NCS and Gatsby alongside awarding organisations City and Guilds, Gateway Qualifications enable the group to focus on developing a digitally equipped community, skilled workforce, fostering industry partnerships, and aligning educational programs with sector demands.
Skills West Midlands and Warwickshire
In response to the first Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP), colleges and training providers across the wider region have worked collaboratively, with funding support, to establish the Skills West Midlands & Warwickshire (SkillsWMW) brand. The aim is to provide employers with a central point of access to training and skills provision.
The group provides collaborative leadership to support the continued development of the SkillsWMW service, website and employer-facing marketing activity, ensuring all CWM members are involved in shaping its direction.
The group will also ensure that the collective work of other CWM operational groups, particularly those developing new training programmes, is effectively promoted to employers through SkillsWMW channels. It will support CWM members to respond to employer demand identified through SkillsWMW engagement activity, helping to create a coordinated, accessible and responsive regional skills offer.
The group is working towards the following:
- Support the delivery of the LSIP Priority One: Strengthening System Navigability
- Provide Strategic Leadership and Oversight
- Resource Employer-Facing Services
- Develop and Launch Employers Resources
