Solihull Solihull Chamber Patrons
Solihull skills shortage project takes-off
A scheme in Solihull aimed at solving the skills shortage in the Birmingham and Solihull area has come of age. The scheme – Digital INnov8ors – was piloted
in the borough in October 2016, with 20 students from Solihull college and university centre. The idea was to create a fusion between
education providers, businesses and students in order to create a pathway into employment for 16-25 year olds. Eighteen months later, the programme has more than 120 students and the Digital INnov8ors team is continuing to work closely with local employers and Solihull Chamber to boost the borough’s economic growth. Digital INnov8ors Ltd has been established as
a social enterprise and is being led by ex-BT employee Mick Westman. Mr Westman said: “Digital INnov8ors
recognises that lean-back classroom, abstract teaching, does not work for everyone. The aim is to ensure that less academically orientated talent is sufficiently inspired and ambitious to grasp employment opportunities. “This inclusive approach broadens the region’s talent pool by tapping into a segment of the
prospective workforce previously significantly ignored by the tech-led sectors. “It is shaped to engage those who are either
continuing to struggle within the education system, or are now not in employment, education or training (‘NEETS’).
‘The aim is to ensure that less academically orientated talent is sufficiently inspired and ambitious’
“In this way Digital INnov8ors looks to spread
the opportunities offered by tomorrow’s smart city to the largest possible number of citizens. It will also support a largely ignored source of innovators and entrepreneurs, again helping drive wider inclusion and hence a richer pool of innovators to drive the economy.” Solihull Chamber has backed the project from
day one, in a bid to help address the skills gap. Solihull Chamber director Joan Smith said: “When I met Mick Westman two years ago we
discussed the skills gaps and potential solutions and the rest is history now. This model is a fantastic example of how to engage with young people to allow them to use their own initiative and get excited about new ways of learning.” One of the biggest education providers in the
borough, Solihull College, has also played a key role in the development of the project. College principal John Callaghan said: “The
college was introduced to Mick Westman by Joan Smith the Chamber’s Director and Mick wanted to work with us to put something back into his local community. “Given Mick’s credentials we kitted out a room
with bespoke furniture and IT at a cost of c£25k and freed up a pilot group of students to work through the process. We are now at a stage where we have refined our processes through experience and now want to scale up the operation with clearly defined targets and key performance indicators. “We need to work on a sustainable financial
model but am confident that we can bring Mick’s wealth of experience in the digital private sector to benefit us both moving forward.”
April 2018 CHAMBERLINK 37
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