UNEMPLOYED people across the region have been given the chance to learn new skills needed to get back into work thanks to the West Midlands Combined Authority.
Now the Government’s furlough employment support scheme has ended and the region’s economy is still recovering from the pandemic, the WMCA is stepping in with £25million worth of training.
By working with the region’s colleges and other providers the WMCA will focus on skills for roles in sectors where jobs are being created – including digital, logistics, health and social care, rail, and construction.
The £25m funding includes a specific focus on jobs with good long-term prospects, such as teaching assistants, housing officers, and software developers.
West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street, said: “We know that the coronavirus pandemic has caused great economic harm to the region and left many people out of work or fearing for their future, which is why I launched my 100,000 jobs plan earlier this year.”
Schemes being funded by the WMCA include Beat the Bots digital training, SWAPS sector-specific training, construction gateway programmes, green skills courses and job fairs to take place in every borough of the West Midlands.
The support aims to build on the work that has been underway over the past year, in partnership with local authorities and the Department for Work and Pensions, which has already helped thousands of people into employment.
