STEM skills in the spotlight as wave of specialist jobs announced

• West Midlands supporting the UK’s digital and STEM skills drive with the creation of over 100 specialist roles.
• New roles come from two innovation-led companies – coding and AI educator, School of Coding & AI and performance additives developer and manufacturer, SI Group.
• Announcement follows the West Midlands Growth Company’s (WMGC) recent launch of It Starts Here – a dynamic new destination promotion campaign for the region – during Birmingham Tech Week 2024.
  
  

The West Midlands is supporting the UK’s digital and STEM skills drive through the creation of over 100 specialist roles from two innovation-led companies, School of Coding & AI and SI Group.

Wolverhampton-based coding and AI educator, School of Coding & AI, has announced plans to expand its operations into Birmingham, creating up to 100 tech-focused higher education jobs over the next three years. Established in 2017, the company works with hundreds of schools, colleges and businesses each year to strengthen digital skills by delivering courses in STEM, coding, computer science, AI and cyber security.

Following a new partnership with the University of Wolverhampton, School of Coding & AI will open a 12,000 sq ft campus on Livery Street, Central Birmingham, with the aim of opening five further campuses across the country in 2025. The new higher education centre – which will contain the UK’s first AI learning lab – will deliver a range of degrees and higher education courses, with 300 students set to enrol in January. The business also expanded into India earlier this year with new offices in Hyderabad and Chandigarh, where it provides UK students with the fully-funded opportunity to experience a new culture, while developing their skills in software development.

SI Group, a global leader in the innovative technology of performance additives, process solutions and chemical intermediates, is also creating 15 highly skilled technical jobs through the relocation of its European R&D lab from Manchester to Four Ashes, near Wolverhampton. The state-of-the-art facility will focus on the development of new products and the creation of application data for existing products, as well as providing analytical support for the business’ R&D, manufacturing and supply chain functions. Its move to the West Midlands will create new roles in the fields of chemistry, polymer science and materials science. The lab will also offer summer internships for students in local universities, allowing them to experience real world challenges and enhance their interpersonal skills. 

The West Midlands Growth Company (WMGC) – the region’s official investment promotion agency – supported both investments by providing School of Coding & AI and SI Group with dedicated consultancy and sector-focused expertise. The investments will support the region’s world-leading innovation strengths, which WMGC aims to showcase through its dynamic destination promotion campaign, It Starts Here. Developed in collaboration with organisations across the West Midlands, the campaign is designed to transform perceptions of the region on the global stage by raising awareness of its strengths as a global innovation hub, attract investment, and distinguish the region from its competitors.

Digital and Technologies is one of the eight key growth-driving sectors identified in Invest 2035 - the Government’s new Industrial Strategy Green Paper. Government reports suggest that digital skills gaps could be costing the UK economy up to £63bn per year. Last month, the region announced the West Midlands Digital Skills Consortium (WMDSC) which seeks to revolutionise the region’s digital ecosystem, creating a unique environment for digital skills development and innovation.

Councillor Stephen Simkins, Leader of City of Wolverhampton Council, said:

“Yet again Wolverhampton is demonstrating it is a leader in digital technology and innovation. School of Coding & AI is a beacon for the city and SI Group’s lab relocation shows the region is the place to invest when it comes to R&D. Both companies are making a real difference to our residents and those beyond the city by creating jobs that align with our skills agenda. Working in partnership with the University of Wolverhampton, our plans for a Green Innovation Corridor as one of the three pillars of the West Midlands Investment Zone will also help us provide a range of business support, skills and recruitment programmes to ensure local people benefit from future opportunities.”

Professor Ebrahim Adia, Vice Chancellor at the University of Wolverhampton, said:

“This is a very exciting initiative for the University of Wolverhampton and we look forward to continuing to develop our partnership with the School of Coding and AI; and in doing so benefiting our students and the wider economy in what is a key growth sector.”

Manny Athwal, CEO at School of Coding & AI, said:

“We’re extremely excited to be collaborating with the University of Wolverhampton – a global leader in cybersecurity research – for this next chapter in our growth journey. From our new Birmingham campus, we look forward to equipping a new generation of students with the specialist knowledge and expertise to embark on exciting and rewarding careers in tech.”

To learn more about School of Coding & AI’s new Birmingham campus, visit here.

WMGC are encouraging West Midlands organisations to get involved with It Starts Here and proudly advocate on behalf of the region. To find out more, visit here.  

ENDS 
 

Press contacts: 

Rabia Raza, Head of Communications, West Midlands Growth Company, rabia.raza@wmgrowth.com / 07984 410462 

Lucy Blackman, PR & Communications Manager, West Midlands Growth Company, lucy.blackman@wmgrowth.com  / 07483 078434 

Notes to editors: 

West Midlands Growth Company 

The West Midlands Growth Company helps the region make its mark nationally and internationally. Its primary purpose is to attract investment, jobs, visitors and businesses to the West Midlands. The West Midlands Growth Company focuses on the WMCA geography of Greater Birmingham and Solihull, Coventry and Warwickshire, and the Black Country.