The draft strategy sets out a collaborative approach to meet future skills and employment needs in the city by linking up new and emerging business sectors with the city’s training and skills offer to create a local talent pipeline which stimulates growth.
It is built around five overarching priorities – children have the best start in life, high quality education which prepares young people for work, post-16 provision which meets the needs of city employers, lifelong learning and employment pathways to good quality work, and a new employer support offer.
The draft strategy provides a framework for action through which the City of Wolverhampton Council can work with its key partners, such as local employers, education and skills providers, the voluntary and community sector, and local anchor institutions.
The council is currently carrying out a consultation into the draft strategy and is asking for the views of the public and stakeholders to help ensure the proposed aims and objectives are achievable and that the council’s vision meets the needs of the city.
A series of face to face engagement sessions have already taken place while comments can be made online via Citizenspace at until next Friday (18 August, 2023).
Councillor Louise Miles, Cabinet Member for Jobs and Skills, said: “We have had an excellent response to the consultation so far, with much positive feedback, and I would like to thank everyone who has already taken the time to comment online or been a part of one of our workshops.
"This Education, Skills and Employment Strategy is so important because we know that having a lifelong approach is necessary to support people into local jobs created by the multi-million-pound investment being made in our city in different industry sectors, and to capitalise on the opportunities the new City Learning Quarter will provide.
“As a council, we cannot address this challenge in isolation, it is therefore absolutely essential that we lead and drive a coordinated and sustained response with city employers and partners, the West Midlands Combined Authority and Government departments – a ‘One City’ response – with our citizens and their voices at the centre of every element of the response.
“I would therefore urge people to have their say on the draft Education, Skills and Employment Strategy for the city.”
Councillor Chris Burden, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, added: “This strategy will have a profound impact on our residents, whether they are at school, college, university, in training or in work, and so it’s vitally important that everyone takes the opportunity to contribute to its development.”
The draft strategy is due to be presented to members of the council's Cabinet on Wednesday 6 September, and will be formally launched once it has been approved.
