Graduates from West Midlands universities who stay to work in the region can see a substantial premium from their degree, new data reveals.

The figures, published for the first time, show the earnings of graduates from each university in different regions of the country five years after they have finished their studies.

For almost all the West Midlands’ universities, graduates who stayed to work in the region earned a higher average salary than local non-graduates who had at least five A*-C GCSEs.

The data also highlights that degrees from West Midland’s universities are also valued by employers across the country. Students from the region’s major universities like Birmingham and Warwick Universities had higher average earnings than non-graduates in every region in England.

Universities Minister Chris Skidmore said: “It is great to see graduates who study and stay to work in the West Midlands are reaping the benefits of our world-leading higher education.

“This data highlights how important universities are to their regions and play a key role in their local economies.

“This data is a milestone for the thousands of future students, helping them to work out whether university is for them, and where to study and work. I hope this will particularly help students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are often more likely to study in their home region, as the data shows the potential benefits of gaining a degree wherever you are.

“It is important for young people to know that they will not only get a rich education at university, but that their degree will be good value for money.”

The new figures published today can help young people make better choices about whether to go to university, where they study and their graduate opportunities.

Previous data showed that average earnings for young graduates in the West Midlands were £24,700 – 21% more than non-graduates of a similar age in the region with five A*-Cs at GCSE.

The publication is part of the Department’s drive to improve transparency around higher education, ensuring that information about likely earnings, employability and teaching quality is easy to access for everyone going to university.

In a letter to the Office for Students in September, the Education Secretary Gavin Williamson made clear that higher education delivering value for money is a priority for the Government.

Enter Stage Write, an annual West Midlands scriptwriting competition, will return in 2020 for its third edition where budding writers have the incredible opportunity to see their work brought to life.

The competition is set to be the biggest and best yet thanks to an exciting partnership with Birmingham Hippodrome, which is set to elevate the competition even further.

Birmingham Hippodrome and Enter Stage Write have partnered together to create an unmissable opportunity for wordsmiths residing in the UK. Competitors are invited to submit a ten-minute long script, with the potential to see their work adapted onto the small screen.

The winning script is judged both by words on the page and performance on the stage during a marquee Grand Final, which takes place in the Patrick Studio at Birmingham Hippodrome on 11th March 2020. Tickets are now on sale at https://www.birminghamhippodrome.com/calendar/enter-stage-write/

Confirmed judges include Chris Sudworth, Director of Artistic Programme at Birmingham Hippodrome; Sean Foley, the multi-Olivier Award-winning actor, writer and director and newly-appointed artistic director of the Birmingham Repertory Theatre; Darcia Martin, director of Hollyoaks and BBC’s Call the Midwife; Lisa Walters, producer of Backlight TV’s 4Stories series for Channel 4 and David Ralf of Bunker Theatre London.

The competition’s prize will see the top three scripts being made into short films as well as performed as a stage play, along with a cash prize of £1000.

Writers have until 11^th February 2020 to submit their entries to the competition, which is open to anyone living in the UK.

Enter Stage Write was founded in 2017 by actor, producer and solo entrepreneur Natalie Edwards of the Transition Stage Company in Birmingham to promote regional inclusion and better representation in the creative arts industries in the United Kingdom.

Natalie Edwards said:  “This is an opportunity to bring creative leaders with the power to give visibility and opportunity for emerging writing talent nationwide and celebrate them here in the West Midlands.”

The partnership between Birmingham Hippodrome and Transition Stage Company ensures that emerging scriptwriters and other creative talents in the West Midlands will have an even greater platform to display their talent.  The theatre welcomes over 840,000 visitors each year, showcasing West End Musicals, world-class ballet, international dance, opera and contemporary performance. Birmingham Hippodrome also works collaboratively with local communities through spectacular festivals on the city’s streets and an extensive Learning & Participation programme.

Chris Sudworth, Director of Artistic Programme, Birmingham Hippodrome said: “We are delighted to partner with Enter Stage Write to showcase wonderful new work in the West Midlands. The programme chimes perfectly with the artist development and producing journey we have begun at the Hippodrome, supporting the creation of work that represents and reflects our great city.”

Enter Stage Write will expand beyond the West Midlands for the first time in 2020 when a franchise event is held in Belfast.

Previous Enter Stage Write champions include Abraham Adeyemi whose script won the competition. Adeyemi was awarded funding to direct the film and make his directorial debut, which had a private screening at Soho House Dean Street. The film will make its world premiere at a to-be-announced BAFTA/Oscar-qualifying festival in 2020.

The local NHS is working with Birmingham University this month to offer students the chance to find out if they have ‘sleeping’ tuberculosis (TB), which could lead to developing the potentially fatal active TB.

On 12 February, students will be targeted as part of a screening day at the university organised by NHS Birmingham and Solihull Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

Those aged 16-35 years old, who were born in one of 70 at-risk countries including Thailand, India and the Philippines (or have spent more than six months in one of these countries) and have entered the UK within the last five years, could have TB sleeping inside of them. This is known as latent or ‘sleeping’ TB.

Dr Raj Ramachandram, NHS Birmingham and Solihull CCG’s Clinical Lead for Respiratory, said: “Latent TB has no symptoms and can remain dormant for years in the person’s lungs without them knowing that they have the bacteria.

“This can remain inactive and non-infectious until triggered, when it becomes active TB. This is a debilitating condition which is contagious and needs treatment with very strong medication. If left untreated, active TB can be fatal.

“The good news is treating latent TB is easier and can prevent carriers of the bacteria from developing active TB; and by taking our latent TB screening programme to the university, we can help students who might be carrying the inactive bacteria to be identified with a simple blood test and ensure they can be treated as quickly as possible.”

The screening will be carried out by trained nurses at Birmingham University’s Medical School on 12 February 2020 between 10am-3pm. All students who fit the screening criteria and are registered with the NHS can take part.

Latent TB testing, for those who fit the screening criteria, is also available through Birmingham and Solihull GP practices. Further information on latent TB and screening is available here.

Scores of families turned out to enjoy a morning of activities inspired by the popular book, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.

The event at Graiseley Strengthening Families Hub on Tuesday (11 February, 2020), was organised by the National Literacy Trust and the City of Wolverhampton Council, and was the first to be held by the city’s new Pop Up Literacy Hub, which will support families and young children to gain the literacy skills they need in life.

Children had the opportunity to hear the much-loved children’s picture book by Michael Rosen brought to life for them by professional storyteller Steve Stickley – and also enjoyed a welly walk and their very own bear hunt around the nearby Graiseley Park.

Inside, children enjoyed a range of craft, sensory activities and rhyme time activities, while youngsters were given their own copy of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, along with a soft bear, to enable them to recreate the fun and develop a love of reading at home.

Tuesday’s event was one of four organised by the National Literacy Trust across the Black Country this month. It is working with all four local councils, early years professionals and health professionals to introduce Pop-up Literacy Hubs in Wolverhampton, Walsall, Sandwell and Dudley which will support families and young children to further develop the literacy skills they need in life.

The National Literacy Trust is also providing training for early years professionals and giving advice to share with local families. Through the National Literacy Trust settings will be receive training regarding ways to further develop good communication, language and literacy skills.  Families will be provided with information, support and practical tips to use at home.

These activities are all part of a new early years vision to improve the support for children living in areas at the highest risk of low literacy.

Local Hub Manager for the National Literacy Trust, Gaganpreet Basra, said: “We are excited to be launching our first four Pop-up Hubs in the Black Country, and we were delighted to welcome so many families to our event at Graiseley Strengthening Families Hub on Tuesday.”

Councillor Dr Michael Hardacre, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, said: “Lacking vital literacy skills can hold a person back at every stage of their life, and we are pleased to be working with the National Literacy Trust on this exciting project which will help young children and families across the city to develop their literacy skills at an early age.”

The first new primary school to open in Sandwell in 40 years is currently on track for completion this summer.

Shireland Technology Primary pupils got the chance to have a first look at their new school when they visited the building site. Before their visit, the children took part in a special assembly about building site safety, which included a visit from Site Manager for Speller Metcalfe, Myles Crabtree and Buzz Site Gear, Speller Metcalfe's safety mascot. The children were then accompanied to the site by Shireland Techonology Primary Principal, Lady Kirsty Grundy and Shireland Collegiate Academy Trust CEO, Sir Mark Grundy.

Speaking on the new build, Myles Crabtree said: “We’re delighted to have been a part of this fantastic project for Shireland Technology Primary, which will be a real positive for local residents who will be able to take advantage of a greater number of school places available locally.

“The construction itself has also contributed positively to the local area by providing employment opportunities for businesses from around Smethwick and the wider West Midlands."

The primary school is currently housed in another new building on the Shireland Collegiate Academy high school site. Pupils will start the next school year in their brand new purpose-built primary school, which is currently under construction on the same site as the academy on Waterloo Road. The school is on track for completion in August 2020.

Principal of Shireland Technology Primary, Lady Kirsty Grundy, said: “The children and staff were so excited to be able to visit the site to see the development of our new school. The constructors have been amazing and we can’t believe how quickly the building is progressing. We can see our vision and plans of a very different and innovative school coming to life on a day to day basis."

Plans for the new building will uniquely include a roof top play area for children, dedicated Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning zone and an immersive room where surround projection fully immerses children into different worlds and times.

Once complete the new school will specialise in technology and will take on an additional 60 pupils this September and once at full capacity will have 420 pupils in attendance by the year 2025.