Youth & Adult Employment
West Midlands Progression Gateway
The Colleges in the West Midlands are keen to develop innovate approaches to study programme delivery that support all young people to reach their full potential. We want to see as many young people as possible progressing to T Levels and other advanced technical programmes if that is the right route for them. However, many young people start this post 16 journey having not achieved well at GCSE level and often lacking the aspiration for these technical roles. The Progression Gateway project therefore aims to work with all colleges and the WMCA to develop an aspirational set of progression opportunities to support young people to advance through the levels and into exciting and rewarding careers. This will include:
- Collaborating on the design and delivery of new ‘progression gateway assessments’ to recognise the technical ability for young people who do not join colleges with high GCSE grades.
- Sharing innovative new approaches to delivery of study programmes and industry-led literacy and numeracy that help young people progress into technical pathways.
- Joint delivery of simplified careers and progression advice for parents and school leavers.
- Working with WMCA to align this with Mayor’s placement promise and development of CEIAG services, to provide a coherent technical offer across the region.
- Collaborative development of branding and marketing materials.
Adults and young people into employment
Despite recent growth in participation from both young people and adults in education across the West Midlands, significant challenges remain. The region continues to experience high levels of young people who are NEET (not in education, employment or training) and many adults who are either unemployed or economically inactive. This presents a major barrier to meeting local workforce demands.
In response, colleges across the region are working collaboratively through initiatives such as the ‘Adults into Employment’ and ‘16–18 NEET’ groups to develop new, targeted approaches. These efforts include:
- Partnering with the DWP and WMCA to co-design and deliver a wide range of pre-employment programmes aligned with local priority sectors and job roles.
- Expanding access to Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs), Construction Gateway, Free Courses for Jobs (FCFJ), and Skills Bootcamps—all of which provide tailored, fully funded pathways into employment, including work experience, technical and life skills, and employer-led job interviews.
- Working closely with employers and Employer Representative Bodies (ERBs) to align training with vacancies, helping learners transition into real employment.
- Designing and delivering new adult learning provision that directly responds to regional skills demands, using available funding flexibilities.
- Supporting employers with recruitment through work experience placements, supported internships for SEND learners, and apprenticeship levy management.
- Targeting NEET young people through collaboration with local authorities and youth organisations (Kings Trust, NCS) to re-engage them with education and training via clear progression routes.
- Jointly developing marketing, events, and stakeholder engagement strategies, including outreach to schools, to raise awareness and drive participation.
By combining strategic partnerships with practical training offers, the region’s colleges are creating a coherent, end-to-end recruitment and skills development service, supporting individuals into meaningful employment while meeting the evolving needs of employers.
Health Group
The Health Group was established following discussions among college Principals to strengthen collaboration across the health and care sector.
The group brings colleges together to address shared challenges, respond to employer and community needs, and identify opportunities to achieve more through partnership working.
With a focus on action and measurable impact, the group aims to agree three or four achievable priorities each academic year, ensuring collaboration leads to practical outcomes.
The group intends to involve external partners, including NHS trusts, care providers, the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), local authorities and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), to support joint working and address wider sector needs.
