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Minister: We'll bridge the skills gap

The Government will remain focused on bridging the UK’s skills gap regardless of uncertainties brought on by Brexit, the Education Secretary has said.

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Mayor Andy Street, Education Secretary Damian Hinds and Dudley College CEO Lowell Williams

Damian Hinds said ‘investing in the future’ was a key priority for ministers, as he announced a £69 million skills deal in the West Midlands, including £40m in new Government money.

And Mr Hinds, who backed Remain in the EU referendum, insisted that this would not change once Britain leaves the block next March.

The Education Secretary visited Dudley College's Advance site on Priory Road this week, where he met with West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, senior college leaders and apprentices.

Announcing the region's new skills funding package, Mr Hinds said: “We’re definitely investing in the future, regardless of other things that are happening around us.

“Leaving the EU is an exciting opportunity with many, many aspects to work out.

"We will work those out, but we absolutely stay focussed on making sure that we are satisfying the skills need for the country, being ambitious for the country, and for the next generation."

Mr Hinds said among the key arrangements to be finalised would be EU funding for colleges and universities, many of which have expressed concerns that the UK Government will not provide the funding required for major projects after Brexit.

He said he was sure the Government would 'come to good arrangements' in order to 'do the important things for the future of our economy'.

The Education Secretary, who took over after Justine Greening quit in January, conceded that West Midlands faced a serious challenge to plug its skills shortage.

However, he insisted the region would be a major player in the Britain's future prosperity – providing there was a concerted effort from councils, businesses and colleges to make the skills deal work.

“There are particular skills issues in the West Midlands,” he said.

“Of course, this region was always at the heart of our industrial base and our industrial heritage, and it needs to be at the heart of our industrial future.

“And of course to do that requires thinking big, thinking differently, and compared to other regions there are particular skills issues here."

“That’s one of the reasons why Andy Street came to us to say ‘we want to do something bold, something big and something ambitious’.

“And that’s what this deal is. Getting employers together, working with local government, working with colleges and everyone in the region. It’s bringing together that collective power to make more of it.”

The number of jobs created in parts of the West Midlands has surged over the last year, but employers have voiced concerns over the lack of skilled workers available to meet demand.

Mr Street has made bridging the skills gap one of his key aims, along with reducing youth unemployment.

The West Midlands Combined Authority was due to look at a new report on the state of the region at its board meeting today.

Mr Street said: "So much of it is positive, but youth unemployment is one of the things that is not, and we want to change that."