Migration is an important part of the West Midlands story – it has reshaped Birmingham and the wider region and has made our communities among the most diverse and dynamic in the UK, if not Europe. We have a rich history of diversity from the post-war industrial boom in the area in the 1950s and 60s when much-needed workers from the Commonwealth countries made their way here.
Today the makeup of the West Midlands is still constantly changing as we continue to welcome refugees and migrants. Ours is a young and multicultural region with a hyper-diverse language profile. Around 108 different languages are spoken here every day.
This young population gives a big boost to the region as it provides the talent pool that can potentially supply the workers needed, making it an attractive place for businesses to locate. As we look to deliver growth to the economy, it is vital we can provide opportunities to enable all our residents to access the new jobs that are being created.
Adult education and training in the region have had a long association with migrant communities as newcomers look for support to acquire the skills and confidence to improve their English and gain employment. The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), with its devolved Adult Education Budget (AEB), has found itself as an essential part of the migrant experience – and we are using the levers of devolution to improve opportunities.
In the context of migration and the future of work, the WMCA is responding in two main ways. Firstly, by supporting the immediate needs of those newly arrived in the region with language education and skills training. Each year since 2019, WMCA has supported about 12,000 refugees and migrants aged 19+ through adult education. Alongside this, through our convening work we aim to build greater resilience into the regional economy by encouraging employers to be more flexible in the longer-term opportunities they can offer newcomers to the region – while also anticipating national policy changes that could tighten some migration rules, which would place an ever-greater emphasis on training, recruitment and reskilling of workers from within the region.
Many people arriving in the West Midlands already possess sought-after, higher-level skills – but others will need more support to help them integrate in work and life in the region. It is particularly important to provide opportunity for those moving to the region to develop their English language skills in readiness for them to work and live in the UK.
Each year, WMCA invests around £15m (16 per cent) of our AEB funding in English language programmes – but through our devolution advantage, we have been able to think differently by working with community groups to significantly improve the quality of this introductory-level training.
Working with our providers, we’ve been able to embed language development into vocational training provision, including the introduction of a new programme to be developed further in 2024 with a Context and Language Integrated Learning approach (i.e. learning a language and a subject in tandem). We’ve also funded ‘innovation hubs’ for language learning at local colleges, where we have developed specialist pedagogy for all providers.
We’re ambitious for the future – and, as part of our work to ensure opportunities are continually expanding for residents moving into the region, we will further accelerate our work in embedding language learning into vocational training e.g. linking to maths, digital, technical skills, and providing transferable skills and pilot schemes aimed specifically at supporting refugees, with an accelerated multidisciplinary approach to language acquisition. We will also support those immigrants with entrepreneurial ambitions to set up their own businesses, potentially covering language skills, tax, business rates, or the basic principles of employment law.
We will continue to work with our colleges and training providers to be ambitious for our residents, ensuring that they are not trapped in a cycle of low-level learning. We also need more employers to see the value of employing those who have moved into the region and to recognise the vast range of skills they bring to the labour market.
But we know there are many external factors that are not within our control, such as the training, recruitment and retention of language teachers who can embed other skills within the language learning provision. And at a more macro level, we’re mindful that the UK’s fast-paced policy on migration has taken on a new momentum as immigration becomes a central debate in the run-up to a general election.
Coinciding with recent immigration reforms, the government’s Autumn Statement included the new Back to Work Plan which will feature significant investment in employment support. WMCA is already working hard to engage with those residents already established in our multicultural communities who have become further isolated, especially in the wake of COVID-19 lockdowns. In summary, the WMCA has invested significantly to support migrants to develop their English language skills as a first step to employment and wider integration into society – but we want this initial engagement to be so much more. Therefore, we have looked to innovate and pioneer a more hybrid approach that jointly teaches language and other vocational skills. Our skills system is also primed to respond to those national changes in policy that are not in our control. We are therefore stretching our reach so we can engage with local residents who risk being left behind. We are developing pathways for all that will provide the opportunity for learners to climb the education ladder and achieve higher-level qualifications needed for the aspirational jobs that will plug our local skills gaps.
Clare is the Director for Employment, Skills, Health and Communities at West Midlands Combined Authority where she has worked for the last six years, working collaboratively to achieve inclusive growth where all residents benefit.
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