28WEST
MIDL
ANDS
CO
MP
AN
YG
UIDE
Bu
il
di
ng
ec
on
om
ic
res
il
ie
nc
e
The
We
st
Midla
nds
econom
yh
as
ar
ecord
of
resilience
and
embracing
change
and
these
will
be
vital
strengths
as
we
tackle
the
chal-
lenges
we
will
face
in
the
coming
decades.
The
ability
of
our
region
to
absorb
major
economic
blows
in
recent
years
such
as
the
closure
of
MG
Rover
and
Peugeot
shows
just
how
resilient
our
economy
has
become.
It
is
almos
ti
mpossib
le
to
read
an
ews-
paper
or
watch
or
listen
to
news
reports
without
being
confronted
by
predictions
of
tumbling
property
prices,
fuel
shortages
and
credit
concerns.
But
rather
than
speculating
on
what
might
happen,
we
are
devising
strategies
based
on
fact
8211s
ound,
comprehensive
research
con-
ducted
by
the
We
st
Midla
nds
Regio
nal
Ob-
servat
ory
.
For
the
first
time
,t
hanks
to
the
work
of
the
Observatory
,w
eh
ave
ac
lear
picture
of
the
challe
nges
we
face
and
know
we
have
to
work
hard
with
our
partners
to
address
the
region8217
s163
10
billion
output
gap.
This
figure
amounts
to
1632,000
for
each
person
living
in
the
We
st
Midla
nds
and
pro-
vides
clear
emphasis
of
the
impor
tant
work
we
need
to
do.
Ie
mphasise
the
need
for
partnersh
ip
work-
ing
because
the
strength
in
depth
that
we
have
in
the
region,
whether
it
is
the
knowl-
edge
base
in
our
universities
and
colleges,
the
creative
vision
of
our
entrepre
neurs
or
the
pedigree
of
our
many
world-r
enowned
companies,
will
be
vital
to
the
success
of
the
We
st
Midla
nds.
Analysi
so
ft
he
We
st
Midla
nds
econom
y
revea
ls
that
the
product
ivit
yg
ap
is
caused
by
two
factors:
the
region8217
sb
usiness
base
is
skewed
towards
sectors
where
GV
Ap
er
head
tends
to
be
low
and,
of
even
greater
significance,
there
are
generally
lower
levels
of
productivity
in
these
or
ganisations
.
Tr
aditionally
we
are
under
-represented
in
high-value
sectors
such
as
pharmac
euticals,
and
oil
and
gas,
so
we
recognise
the
impor
-
tance
of
increasing
research
and
develop-
ment
activity
in
the
region.
Wo
rking
with
Aston
University
and
the
University
of
Wo
rcester
we
have
helped
to
fund
the
country8217
sfi
rst
ocular
aller
gy
cen-
tre
so
that
the
We
st
Midla
nds
can
be
at
the
forefro
nt
of
resear
ch
into
incre
asingl
yc
om-
mon
conditions
such
as
hay
fever
and
dust
aller
gies.
Other
funded
projects
include
research
into
bio-fuels
in
Staf
fordshire,
and
aj
oint
research
project
between
Coventry
and
Bir
-
mingham
universities
on
the
use
of
hydro-
gen
as
af
uel
source.
These
projects
build
the
international
reputation
of
Birmingham
Science
City
,o
ur
higher
education
institutions
and
the
region
as
aw
hole.
Research
and
development
brings
high-
quality
jobs
and
this
is
the
reason
we
often
have
to
make
difficult
decisions
when
nego-
tiating
with
companies
keen
to
move
into
developments
such
as
i54
in
Wo
lverhampton
or
Ansty
Park,
Coventry
.
It
would
be
easy
to
take
some
of
the
first
attractive
of
fers
that
come
along,
but
we
prefer
to
take
al
ong-term
view
and
ensure
we
attract
the
right
kind
of
employers
to
the
region.
It8217
sab
old
strategy
but
one
that
is
working
and
we8217re
delighted
to
look
back
on
ar
ecord
year
for
inward
investment
with
2,792
jobs
created
and
469
safeguarded
respectively
.
Successf
ul
projec
ts
include
the
decision
by
Ericsson,
the
Swedish
telecommu
nica
-
tions
giant,
to
set
up
ar
esearch
and
devel-
opment
facility
at
Ansty
Park,
moving
650
jobs,
and
Shanghai
Automotive
Industry
Company
creatin
ga
nd
safeguarding
350
jobs
by
establishing
the
SAIC
Motor
Te
ch-
nical
Centre
in
Wa
rwickshire.
Small
and
medium-sized
enterprises,
such
as
Dutch
mail
order
company
IGO
Post
and
Indian-based
electrical
component
manu-
facturer
Vi
ctory
Electricals
have
also
been
attracted
to
our
region
citing
the
excellent
central
location
and
transport
opportunities
.
Channel
48217
sd
ecision
to
make
Birming-
ham
the
UK
comm
issioning
hub
for
England
and
Wa
les
for
thei
rn
ew
Four
Innovation
for
the
Public
fund
(4IP)
is
further
evidence
of
the
emer
ging
activity
in
ICT
.
The
16310
million
fund
includes
a163
5m
il-
lion
investment
from
AW
Mm
atched
with
1635
million
from
Channel
4.
Investments
such
as
these
often
have
a
cluster
ef
fect
8211s
imilar
smaller
companies
spring
up
around
them
as
the
market
in-
creases
in
size
and
confidence
and
builds
a
resilient
economy
.C
hannel
4i
sa
ni
nterest-
ing
and
exciting
brand
that
will
change
many
people8217
sp
erceptions
about
our
region.
Another
key
factor
in
establishing
growth
in
our
economy
is
addressin
gt
he
gap
in
skills.
As
ar
egion
we
face
two
significant
prob-
lems
at
each
end
of
the
skills
spectrum:
we
are
not
retaining
enough
of
our
graduates
and
we
do
not
have
enough
employ
ees
with
basic
skills.
The
Regional
Skills
Partnersh
ip
(RSP)
is
addressin
gt
hese
issues
on
an
umber
of
fronts.
We
know
that
graduates
are
more
likely
to
stay
in
the
region
when
they
have
spent
time
with
companies
so
the
RSP
is
working
with
our
universities
to
increase
the
number
of
work
placement
st
hrough
the
Graduate
Advantage
scheme.
As
well
as
holding
onto
our
best
talent,
ac
ritical
factor
is
developing
the
skills
of
our
leaders
and
managers.
There
are
about
500,000
leaders
and
managers
who
have
a
direct
influence
over
two
million
employees
and
aG
VA
of
around
16377
billion
annually
in
the
We
st
Midla
nds.
As
vacancie
sa
re
expected
to
grow
by
around
170,000
in
the
next
decade,
it8217
sv
i
-
tal
that
we
provide
the
best
training
for
our
managers
and
leaders
because
we
are
invest-
ing
in
our
future.
After
as
uccessful
pilot
scheme,
Business
Link
We
st
Midlan
ds
has
rolle
do
ut
the
Lead-
ership,
Management
and
Entrepreneurship
(LME)
programme.
LME
advisors
visit
companies
and
give
tailored
advice
unique
to
each
firm
to
plug
the
gaps
in
training
needs.
This
could
involve
recommending
au
ni-
versity
or
college
course,
or
as
eries
of
man-
agement
exercises,
or
could
be
as
simple
as
taking
managers
to
another
firm
to
observe
best
practice
in
action.
Of
course,
this
is
just
as
election
of
the
vital
work
taking
place
across
the
region
that
will
help
to
build
ar
esilient
economy
.
Regeneration
projects
shaping
our
region
are
the
refurbish
ment
of
New
Street
Sta-
tion,
the
Edgar
Street
Grid
in
Hereford
and
the
University
Quarter
scheme
in
Stoke-on-
Tr
ent.
Birmingham
Science
City
will
be
criti-
cal
in
building
ar
esearch
base
and
an
in-
ternational
reputation
for
our
region
and
our
regional
marketing
strategy
will
help
to
communicate
the
fantastic
advantages
of
working
and
living
in
the
We
st
Midla
nds.
There
is
much
hard
work
ahead
,b
ut
emer
ging
sectors
such
as
ICT
,a
nd
the
work
of
our
partner
agencies
in
furthering
the
cause
of
business,
enterprise,
innovation,
transport
and
skills
will
ensure
we
can
com-
pete
and
thrive.Th
er
ei
sm
uch
har
dw
or
ka
head
,b
ut
emer
gi
ng
sec
to
rs
such
as
IC
T,
and
har
d
wo
rk
fur
ther
ing
the
cause
of
business
,
ent
er
pr
ise
,i
nno
vation,
transpor
ta
nd
sk
ills
will
ensur
eo
ur
re
gi
on
can
compet
e
and
thr
iv
e,
ar
gues
Ad
vantage
We
st
Mi
dlands
8217
Mi
ck
La
ve
rt
y
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