• Severn Trent hosted it’s first ‘Big Boost for Brum’ as part of commitment to help 100,000 people into work, and out of water poverty.
• Event was held in Birmingham, where Severn Trent connected businesses and communities to help fill vacant jobs, and develop skills.
• A new independent report The Good Jobs Project, supported by Severn Trent was launched today at the event, and calls on businesses to bridge the gap between marginalised communities and the 1.1m vacant roles in the UK.
• Report found that Birmingham’s employment rate of 69% is lower than national average at 75.4% and below other regional cities like Stoke 78.3% and Telford 75.6%.
• It states that nearly one in five (17%) economically inactive people in the West Midlands, actively said they want a job, meaning some 300,000 people could be looking for work, yet a third of employers struggle to fill roles.

Hundreds of local jobs seekers flocked to Birmingham’s Millennium Point today, to attend ‘Severn Trent’s Big Boost for Brum.’

The company hosted the event as part of its ten-year plan to help 100,000 people into work and out of water poverty, while benefitting from access to free employability training and workshops.

Full and part time jobs were available to apply from employers such as Pertemps, National Express, Cadent Gas, Kier and Network Plus and comes after Severn Trent announced 1,000 new jobs for the Midlands.

The event brought to life The Goods Project, an independent report into employment in the UK with a spotlight on the Midlands. The report that’s supported by Severn Trent highlights that there’s some 300,000 people actively looking to work in the Midlands, yet Birmingham has the lowest employment rate in the region of 69% and employers struggle to fill vacant roles.

Severn Trent’s Big Boost to Brum was an opportunity to bridge that gap and connect people with work, and encourage other businesses to bring job opportunities to hard to reach communities.

Neil Morrison, Severn Trent HR director said: “Our ambition is simple, to help our communities to thrive, by giving them access to skills and opportunities. That’s why we launched our programme back in November to help 100,000 people across the Midlands in reaching their potential, as we know this City is brimming with untapped talent, who may just need a bit of help to access what’s out there. We have the opportunity to change the current statistics, and help our communities to thrive, while creating diverse and stronger workforces, and it’s exactly why events like this are so important.”

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “It’s great to see so many businesses and organisations coming together with a shared mission to bring jobs, skills and renewed optimism right into the heart of our communities. Local people right across our region have tremendous potential and – by working together – we can really tap into that potential and change thousands of lives for the better in the months and years ahead.”

Ed Boyd, Chief Executive of ReGenerate, behind the Goods Job Project said: “The solution to the UK’s record labour shortage is hiding in plain sight. There are millions of potential workers who are rarely given a chance because they may have disabilities, criminal records or are neurodivergent. Yet these people could make great employees, and make a major contribution to making companies more successful. It is a real win-win.”

Severn Trent has been working with Trailblazers charity, to support young men in prison, and post-release as they integrate back into the community, and provide them mentoring and delivering workshops in prisons to help build skills when it comes to applying for jobs.

To access the full Good Jobs Project, and West Midlands Spotlight - https://www.re-generate.org/the-good-jobs-project