Emily Stubbs, senior policy and projects manager at Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC), said: “While vacancies continue to decline, labour market pressures remain high, with pay growth once again outpacing inflation.
“Despite local employers facing enduring difficulties attracting the talent they need, unemployment in the West Midlands remains largely unchanged on the quarter and notably above the national average. This is in large part attributable to longstanding skills gaps in the region, exacerbated by the economic impacts of the pandemic.
“These remain incredibly challenging times for businesses, and recently announced plans around immigration will put international talent pools out of reach for many employers, making local skills availability all the more important. If the Government is serious about economic growth it is critical that firms are enabled to invest in meaningfully up- and re- skilling local talent.”
