Region’s jobless total declines by 26,000

UNEMPLOYMENT in the West Midlands has fallen sharply with 26,000 fewer people out of work in the region, latest figures show.

The unemployment rate for the region dipped to 8.8% in the August to October quarter, data from the Office for National Statistics shows. The figure represents a 0.9% fall on the May to July quarter.

There are now 240,000 people classed as unemployed in the region.

However, the news for Birmingham is not so strong. It remains the area with the highest rate of unemployment in the UK (16.5%) and has the second lowest rate of employment (57.5%) in the country after Middlesbrough.

The regional rate remains above the UK average of 7.4% and is exceeded only by the North East (10.1%) but the fall has been welcomed by business leaders in the West Midlands.

The Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce said the key to reducing unemployment levels still further remained re-skilling.

It said while the latest figures showed a fall there were still vacancies at many firms.

Chamber president Tim Pile said:  “Our members quarterly economic survey for quarter three reports that 50% of manufacturers are looking to recruit but 58% say finding the right skills are difficult.    
 
“Both service sector firms and manufacturers tell us that they repeatedly find difficulties when looking for skilled/managerial staff.   The construction and operation of HS2 will require thousands of jobs and ensuring that the region is in a position to move into these jobs is vital.  
 
“The Washwood Heath HS2 depot will provide many highly skilled positions and is a fantastic opportunity for the region.”
 
Richard Halstead, Midlands Region Director at EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation said an increase in manufacturing employment in the third quarter was consistent with the upbeat picture the body had seen in several recent surveys.

“We are on track for a third consecutive year of increased jobs in manufacturing for the first time since 1997/98. However, if job creation continues to be a pattern across the industry, more companies will face problems hiring the skilled people they need across a range of occupations,” he said.

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