Black Country Chamber wants business views on Black Country skills gaps in new survey

Black Country businesses struggling to recruit staff with the right skills are being urged to take part in a key survey that helps shape the future of the region’s economy.

As well as providing an overview of the business landscape, the latest Quarterly Economic Survey from the Black Country Chamber of Commerce is seeking views from firms on where they are facing skills gaps and shortages.

Businesses across Wolverhampton, Walsall, Sandwell and Dudley are being encouraged to take part, as the chamber looks to understand how issues are having an impact across the region.

Firms have long been calling for the Government to do more to tackle skills gaps and boost vocational education. Last month it was announced subjects such as manufacturing and AI would be introduced in secondary schools in a move to address future skills needs.

UK wide data has also shown that skill shortage vacancies account for 27 per cent of all job openings.

Sean Jackson, head of membership at Black Country Chamber of Commerce, said: “We’re really pleased to see a number of businesses continue to engage with the survey, which provides an important overview of the Black Country economy.

“We have seen over the years, that it allows businesses to play a big role in national policy, while also presenting them with the chance to raise issues with us, and highlight where we can help and assist them.

“This quarter, we want to hear about the skills gaps and recruitment challenges being faced by some businesses to help shape the support we can give them, whether through Chamber services or wider initiatives such as the West Midlands Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP), which is focused on ensuring local training provision reflects employer demand.

“We’d like to see as many businesses as possible get involved, make their voice heard and help shape the future here in the Black Country.”

The survey, which has been running since 1989, also asks businesses about their overseas travel choices, with questions around how likely they are to use Birmingham Airport for business travel.

The exercise has long been an important tool for the chamber to understand business confidence and trading conditions facing firms in the region.

The survey provides results that are closely monitored by the Treasury, Bank of England and Office of Budget Responsibility and as the largest independent business survey in the UK co-ordinated by the British Chambers of Commerce, it is used to inform economic strategy and decision making at the highest levels.