Solihull
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Solihull forum strives to put an end to the skills gap
A Solihull networking forum is helping to keep the town ‘ahead of the game’ where skills are concerned. The Pro Solihull forum is one of a number of
initiatives set up by the Chamber to help tackle the skills crisis, which businesses nationally have said is holding them back. Of more than 1,400 business people surveyed
recently by the British Chambers of Commerce, 48 per cent had faced labour or skills shortages at their firms in the past 12 months. Around 35 per cent of those tried to address
the shortage by increasing investment in recruitment, 31 per cent invested more in training, while 29 per cent increased pay and benefits. In Solihull, various organisations, including the Chamber, have joined forces to tackle the skills shortage. The Chamber has been working with key partners including Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council and Solihull College, and has responded with Pro Solihull and other forums, covering education, creative and digital, and construction. Not only that, a number of other initiatives
have been launched in the borough, including Solihull College-based Digital INnov8ors Ltd, a not-for-profit venture is aiming to help find the apprentices of the future for local businesses. Solihull College principal John Callaghan said:
“We certainly need more employers getting involved as it is often difficult to predict what precisely is required. For example if you get ten different similar companies in a room you can often find that there isn’t a consensus as all of them will require something bespoke to their business. “As a vocational college and university centre
we have to constantly battle against the perception held by many parents that A-levels and university is the best route for their children and vocational education is for others. We need a serious look at careers guidance so younger children and parents have a much clearer idea that a vocational route is equally important and the higher level skills are in demand from employers.
28 CHAMBERLINK December 2017/January 2018
‘We host our Pro Solihull event every quarter. It is a year old now and grows in the number of delegates attending each time’
“We work very closely with the Chamber and
the Great Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) to ensure we offer our students a clear route into higher education and jobs and we have a wide ranging vocational offer often taught by staff who have recent and extensive industrial experience. “Our curriculum offer is continually changing
to meet demand and we are committed to provide students who can help employers meet the gap.” Solihull Chamber director Joan Smith said that
much had been done to tackle the skills gap, but work still remained to be done. She said: “There is little doubt that, at present,
those leaving the education system, whether it be at 18 or graduating from university, often lack the skills that employers are looking for. “Research shows that the UK’s skills gap is widening. More than a third of firms acknowledge a shortage of skills is a significant barrier to their growth. “We are working very closely with our members through sector forums with Solihull College. This is proving to be very beneficial not only from the business point of view but also from the students’ point of view. We have a long way to go but we are certainly moving in the right direction to achieve this together.” Joan said Pro Solihull
was proving particularly effective and added: “This forum was set up nearly three years ago. We have a representative from all
Joan Smith: skills gap is widening
companies that fall under the professional and financial sector. “We meet about five times a year to address
any issues or requirements they may have. Skills is something that is discussed at all our meetings. The key areas for this sector tend to be around leadership and management. “We are working with Solihull College to
gather information to share with these businesses. There are a number of courses available through the apprenticeship route for existing staff. We host our Pro Solihull event every quarter. It is a year old now and grows in the number of delegates attending each time.” Chamber president Kevin Johns, who co-
chairs the forum with Joan, said: “The professional connection working party allows us to meet other businesses operating in a similar industry as ourselves to cross share ideas and working practices that we have deemed successful within our own organisation. “The members of the group also share
common pitfalls and problem areas and as a group we come together to resolve these issues. An example of such would be the lack of networking events in the town centre, as a result we co-orientated and launched the Pro Solihull networking event which has now been running successfully for just over a year and have delegate numbers of 70 plus at each event.” It is hoped that the Digital INnov8ors Ltd venture will also help bridge the skills gap. Mick Westman, of Digital INnov8ors Ltd said: “Today’s learners, those born since 2000, have a very different outlook to previous generations. They are digitally innate, adsorbing the technology and fluent in social platforms. So, as engagement with tech becomes ever more intuitive, training of this generation needs to be less about the technology and more about its application.”
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