Skills West Midlands + Warwickshire celebrates anniversary with Excellence in Skills Partnership Awards

A Skills Partnership Award has been presented to The Trade Centre UK (TCUK) by Walsall College through Skills West Midlands + Warwickshire, the body formed by further education colleges and independent training providers across the region as a one-stop shop for business.  The award celebrated Skills West Midlands + Warwickshire’s first successful year in operation.

During 2024, the used car supermarket group made its biggest investmet to date in its future workforce through the college.  A record 20 students on autmotive vocational training pathways benefitted from a wide range of work experience-based opportunities, with some progressing directly into full-time roles. TCUK has also been training four autocare apprentices and supporting T Level students with 45-day placements at its Wednesbury, Wolverhampton and Small Heath, Birmingham branches.

The Award was one of 13 presented to employers within the West Midlands and Warwickshire area during a celebration event.

The full list of Excellence in Skills Partnership Awards winners were:

Mark Pemberton, Faculty Director at Walsall College said: “Employer and college collaborations such as our partnership with The Trade Centre UK are crucial to breaking down barriers to skills and industry experience that can hinder people from joining sectors including automotive and engineering.

“In turn, businesses can attract and retain staff while embracing technological shifts such as the increasing demand for electric and hybrid vehicles, thereby helping to ensure this sector continues to evolve and thrive.”

The Skills West Midlands + Warwickshire celebration event, staged at PwC’s offices in Paradise, Birmingham on 7 March 2025, also featured remarks from the Skills Minister, Baroness Smith of Malvern, and the Mayor of the West Midlands, Richard Parker.

Speaking at the event, Suzie Branch-Haddow, chair of the Skills WM+W Steering Group and Vice Principal at BMet, said: “Skills West Midlands + Warwickshire is bringing two worlds closer together, demystifying the world of further and technical education. Our task is to inspire, to engage with business and to remove barriers – visible or invisible. We’re in the business of offering skills solutions.

“We’re changing the culture around how we work and how we engage with employers. More fundamentally, we’re in the business of changing lives. Not just equipping people with skills and qualifications but giving them the confidence to succeed.”

“I’m so pleased that we’ve recognised some great businesses. What we learn from them is that businesses which are engaged with the FE system experience improved recruitment and retention of staff. In short, business engagement pays dividends and makes our products better.”

Skills Minister Jacqui Smith said: “Skills West Midlands and Warwickshire is showing exactly how the system should work, bringing education providers and businesses together to address skills gaps and create real opportunities for young people and adults alike. Whether students have a clear career path in mind, or are still figuring it out, they need access to high-quality training, work experience and careers advice to help them succeed.

“Through local skills improvement plans and direct collaboration between employers and further education providers, we’re seeing a shift from competition to genuine partnership.

“This joined-up approach doesn’t just fill vacancies, it gives students the confidence, direction and opportunities they need to build successful careers, while strengthening the workforce in the region’s key industries.”

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands added: “Only by working together can we tackle the unemployment challenge in the West Midlands. By strengthening relationships with employers and improving how we design and deliver training, we can unleash the potential of people and help businesses grow. It’s why it is important to celebrate how Skills West Midlands and Warwickshire is supporting businesses to build the workforce in growth industries of the future.”

Three Innovation Hubs launched across the region, backed by WMCA and Innovate UK, are driving regional business innovation through technology adoption and training for small businesses. Skills WM+W is now part of the West Midlands Digital Skills Consortium addressing the urgent need for a skilled digital workforce in the region. A suite of free, online, modular courses was launched earlier this year to help tackle region’s fundamental leadership and management challenge.

Over the next year, Skills West Midlands + Warwickshire aims to increase the number of partnerships with SMEs; increase employer satisfaction in skills and training provision and inspire employers to co-create a suite of training solutions with trusted providers.