Wolverhampton Council has launched a consultation to gather the views of the public and stakeholders to help shape a new Education, Skills and Employment Strategy for the city.

The draft strategy sets out a collaborative approach to meet future skills and employment needs in the city by linking up new and emerging business sectors with the city’s training and skills offer to create a local talent pipeline which stimulates growth.

It is built around five overarching priorities:

• Children have the best start in life
• High quality education which prepares young people for work
• Post 16 provision which meets the needs of city employers
• Lifelong learning and employment pathways to good quality work
• A new employer support offer

The draft strategy provides a framework for action through which the council can work with its key partners, such as local employers, education and skills providers, voluntary and community sector, and local anchor institutions.

The views of the public and stakeholders will help ensure the proposed aims and objectives are achievable and that the council’s vision meets the needs of the city.

Councillor Louise Miles, Cabinet Member for Jobs and Skills, said: “A lifelong approach to supporting people into local jobs is necessary to help people capitalise on the opportunities the new City Learning Quarter will provide and better connect them to the jobs that are being created by the multi-million-pound investment that is being made in our city in different industry sectors.

“The council cannot address this challenge in isolation, it is therefore absolutely essential that we lead and drive a coordinated and sustained response with city employers and partners, the West Midlands Combined Authority and Government Departments – a ‘One City’ Response - with our citizens and their voices at the centre of every element of the response.

“I would therefore urge people to have their say on the draft Education, Skills and Employment Strategy for the city.”

Councillor Chris Burden, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, added: “This strategy will have a profound impact on our residents, whether they are at school, college, university, in training or in work, and so it’s vitally important that everyone takes the opportunity to contribute to its development.”

The consultation will close on Friday, August 18, 2023. It is being hosted on CitizenSpace and can be accessed here.