Birmingham is a diverse and vibrant city, home to some of the country’s most important innovations, ideas and businesses.
It has a thriving jobs market with over 2.7 million people in employment – an increase of over 228,000 since 2010.
It was my pleasure to visit the city where many of our great industrialists, statesmen and sports people have lived and worked.
From Nobel Prize winning chemist Francis William Aston to the man who changed chocolate, John Cadbury, Birmingham is a city that has changed the world. And this innovation continues.
Over 19,000 manufacturing jobs have been created in the West Midlands since 2010. Last year alone over 100,000 people participated in an apprenticeship, embracing new opportunities to learn skills that will last a lifetime.
Promoting business and ensuring that work pays is one of the guiding philosophies of Government. And when people can shape their own future through their drive, imagination and skills then the whole of society benefits.
Yesterday I visited Birmingham Broad Street Jobcentre Plus, to talk with local employers from Medasc, Premier Inn and Costa Coffee to find out more about how they are bringing people into work and mentoring local people to develop their careers.
It was fantastic to hear how they were embracing the local talent that walks through the jobcentre door and making the most of the help our excellent work coaches can offer in filling vacancies.
But it’s not just in finding work that Birmingham’s employers are supporting people with – it’s preparing for later life as well.
Over 700,000 people are now saving into a workplace pension through automatic enrolment across the West Midlands. More than 70,000 employers paying contributions and helping them save, making the region a leading light for the UK.
The workplace pension works for you. When you pay in, your boss pays in. Better still you may also get tax relief from the Government. Every penny put in will be added to by compound interest. It’s changing the retirement outlook for millions – and many will reach retirement with a private pension as a result.
With contribution rates due to increase in April this year from 2% to 5%, automatic enrolment will enable people to save even more and to look ahead with more confidence towards greater security in retirement.
From coffee shop baristas to cleaners the people of Birmingham are working more, building more and saving more each year. And I want to say a huge thank you to the businesses of Birmingham who are leading the way in helping people onto the career ladder and saving towards a better retirement.
Guy Opperman is Minister for Pensions and Financial Inclusion
