New Skills Deal to provide talent for Staffordshire’s future

The University of Wolverhampton and Staffordshire County Council have agreed a significant new partnership which will deliver skills for the county’s economy in future years.

The University of Wolverhampton Staffordshire Skills Deal will support economic growth in Staffordshire by helping to provide the necessary skills for higher value jobs and responding to business need.

The collaboration between the two parties will seek to put a framework in place to support skills development from school, college, university, apprenticeships and continuous professional development in the workplace.

Over the next 10 years more than 100,000 jobs in areas such as health and social care, construction, advanced manufacturing, engineering and teaching will need to be filled in the county.

As well as providing skills and qualifications, the deal focuses on providing support for people who wish to set up their own businesses.

The University has already established a new centre, University of Wolverhampton in Stafford (UWiS) in the heart of the town within the Staffordshire Place development.

Opened in November 2017 it delivers a range of undergraduate, postgraduate distance learning courses as well as continuous professional development, short and taster courses.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Jackie Dunne said: “This deal really underlines our commitment to our work in Staffordshire and together with the county council, the local enterprise partnership and the business community we want to deliver the skills needed to help develop the economy for the future.

“This is about raising the aspirations of the population but also helping them realise their ambitions. It is also about producing real results which means increasing the opportunities for students and employees to access technical and higher level skills. For example in the next year we expect to train up to 900 teachers to achieve their professional development training.

“It is also about providing the help and support to people who want to innovate and set up their own businesses.

“Nearly 4,000 of our students are from Staffordshire and the overall aim of this collaboration is to encourage more of them to go on to live, work or start their own ventures in the county once they graduate.”

Staffordshire County Council leader Philip Atkins said: “The University of Wolverhampton is now well established in Staffordshire and we are pleased to see its new gateway centre open. It will play a vital part in our continued drive to improve skills across the board so that people can make the most of the many employment opportunities being created here.

“The launch of our Skills Deal is significant for everyone. It will deliver a comprehensive package of learning programmes from school age through to workplace development. We are confident it will inspire people to embark on a range of skilled career paths, from engineering to teaching, and importantly do it here in Staffordshire where possible.

“This partnership will establish strong working links with the New Beacon Group at Stafford’s Beaconside campus and with our growing armed forces community which will support our long-term drive for a more prosperous and productive county.”

The University has also recently agreed a partnership with the New Beacon Group to deliver courses at the Beaconside Campus in Stafford and is working closely with Entrust on delivering training for teachers.

The deal was signed at an event on 19 January at UWiS attended by representatives from the University and county council and partners from across the county. It also marked the official opening of the University’s Stafford centre.

For more information and a full list of available courses at UWiS visit the website, email UWiS.enquiries@wlv.ac.uk or telephone 01902 321000.

ENDS

For more information please contact James Allen in the Media Relations Office on 01902 322003.