Future Commission outlines how Birmingham’s BPS should secure the best and the brightest

A THINK tank set up to find better ways of attracting and retaining new young talent to Birmingham’s professional services sector has announced its key findings.

The Future Commission was set up by young professionals’ organisation Birmingham Future last year to produce an in-depth analysis and outline what steps need to be introduced if Birmingham’s Business and Professional Services Sector (BPS) is to recruit the brightest talent.

It announced its key findings today.

Steps include the creation of a new Management Academy within the city to ensure the best and the brightest get mentoring help from Birmingham’s seasoned professionals; a better, more focused social inclusion strategy with an emphasis on corporate and individual social responsibility; and greater cooperation between the city’s education providers, community leaders, Birmingham City Council and the BPS sector to address social cohesion, mobility issues and the skills gap.

The latter also includes proposals for a summer placement scheme, building on Birmingham Future’s Graduate Apprentice Scheme, in which Birmingham-based sixth form and FE students are offered summer work experience places in BPS firms.

The Commission has also recommended that stronger links are created between teachers and the BPS sector to encourage greater awareness of the opportunities and requirements of the BPS sector, which should be employer-led.

The Commission also believes more work is needed to strengthen the links between the city’s universities and FE colleges and the business community to promote the city’s offer to recent graduates and fledgling young professionals.

Sir George Cox, chair of the Commissioners, said the panel had limited its scope to what was achievable within a five-year timeframe.

“The issues we grappled with were large issues and there are recommendations in the final report that also speak to the longer run. Everything in the Report reflects the ideas and insights of the Commission as it worked together as a team over the last six months,” he said.

Professor Mark Taylor, Dean of the Warwick Business School, said the report would shape the agenda for the growth and success of Birmingham’s BPS with a better focus on the requirements of the city’s young professional community.

“Not everything in the report will be popular and not everything may be implemented. But the report provides plenty of food for thought for Birmingham Future and others in the business community and beyond about the agenda that must be collectively faced and addressed if we are to ensure the city’s growth and success,” he said.

Nicola Fleet-Milne, chair of Birmingham Future, added: “The economic prosperity of the city has been and will always be at the very heart of what Birmingham Future stands for.

“The conclusions of the report will challenge a whole range of stakeholders. The recommendations may not be easily achieved; however, we believe this will provide ample scope for further discussion and action to take place to facilitate tackling these key challenges.”

The Future Commission’s lead academic partner was Warwick Business School, with Professor Mark Taylor as its Dean. The academic team was led by Dr Michael Synnott.

The Commissioners were:

Sir George Cox – Chair
The Right Reverend David Urquhart – Bishop of Birmingham
Hilary Allen – Birmingham Future and Director at AECOM
Rashik Parmer- President of IBM Academy of Technology and Smarter Cities
Kay Greenbank- Programme Director, The Gambling Commission
Adam Henderson- Director, Rapier (formerly Global Marketing Manager, Jaguar Land Rover)
Colin Corrodus- Head of Legal, Deutsche Bank in Birmingham
Anisa Hagdadi- current BYPY Aspiring Talent Award Winner 2012