‘West Midlands Works’ seeks to lower WM region’s unemployment rate by 5 percentage points by 2035
West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker has unveiled a plan to get 93,000 people into work over the next 10 years as the Government seeks to reduce numbers of those who are economically inactive.
It aims to tackle the low employment rate in the West Midlands, which is running at 69%, seven percentage points below the national average and lower than any other English region.
The objective of the mayor’s plan, entitled ‘West Midlands Works,’ is to raise the regional employment rate by 5 percentage points as part of the Government’s ‘Get Britain Working’ initiative.
600,000 working-age people out of work in the region
Parker said: “Too many people across our region tell me they feel shut out of opportunity. People who want to work, contribute and build better lives, but who face barriers that hold them back.
“Nearly 600,000 people of working age across our region are out of work. That’s a challenge not just for those people, but for all of us.
“Joblessness is both a moral and an economic issue. Because every person who’s locked out of opportunity is a person whose talent our economy is missing.
“West Midlands Works is our plan to change that. It’s about creating a region where everyone who can work, can find good, secure, well-paid jobs. Where work brings pride and purpose, not just a payslip.”
A joint plan to get inactive people back to work
The plan for the West Midlands is to be deployed with local councils, the NHS, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), colleges, skills providers, employers and local community groups.
Rt Hon Pat McFadden, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, said: “Being able to contribute to society gives people a sense of pride and purpose and we should be doing everything we can to equip them for the world of work.”
SPR is getting people into work
Professor Paul Cadman, CEO of Starting Point Recruitment, a multi-sector consultancy with bases in Birmingham and Walsall, said: “Month in, month out at SPR, we are landing jobseekers into great roles at great companies across this region.
“In October, we helped 120 people into work, and in September 140 – each one of these people is a life changed through the purpose and fulfilment that work brings.”
He added: “Despite current doom and gloom, the economic fundamentals of Birmingham and the West Midlands remain strong – including, notably, in the growth sectors of life sciences, tech, sports and creative arts. If you’re an employer looking to hire right now, or a jobseeker looking for work, get in touch with us.”
Almost 500,000 out of 1.8m working-age residents in the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) area are currently economically inactive, meaning they are not in employment or actively seeking work, while an additional 92,000 are classed as unemployed.
West Midlands Works brings together four priority areas of work:
- Creating all-agency local hubs – transforming employment support and the integration of Jobcentre Plus
- Removing health-related barriers to work – expanding initiatives like WorkWell and Thrive at Work to embed employment within health and community settings
- Keeping the West Midlands working – through a West Midlands Good Work Charter, College Compact, AI and green skills delivery, and employer co-design
- Delivering public service innovation for future generations – integrating provision around prevention, long-term outcomes and early support for young people and families.
