The Data Group is led on behalf of the RSP by the West Midlands Regional Observatory. It is an inclusive group and comprises employer representative groups, researchers from the West Midlands Regional Observatory, as well as senior members from key partner organisations. The Data Group currently meets bi-monthly and has its own action plan and resourcing plan agreed by the Partnership Board.
The overall aim of the Data Group is to provide the West Midlands Regional Skills Partnership with a comprehensive, robust and up-to-date evidence base to inform its strategy development and action planning. The current research strategy as laid out in April 2009 covers the following priorities highlighted under three headings:
Reviewing the changing needs of the labour market, highlighting key issues and policy implications to inform the planning and strategic thinking of partners
Monitoring and evaluating the impact of the activities of partners on the region’s skills performance and the ‘scale of the task’ to close gaps with other regions and England
Addressing priority gaps in the regional skills evidence base via primary research activity
Each year the Data Group produce a Regional Skills Assessment, this document was first produced in 2005, principally to inform the planning and commissioning of education and training by the LSC, AWM and HEFCE. The Assessment has been produced annually since then and has evolved over time to meet a range of other needs. The 2008 edition of the Regional Skills Assessment is available for download here - PDF - 784kb.