Business and professional services are key drivers of the local economy accounting for almost 27% of jobs in Greater Birmingham and Solihull. Sub-sectors include information & communications technology, finance & insurance, professional services and administration & business support.

Around 25% of jobs in the area can also be found in public admin, education and healthcare. A wide range of hospitals, universities and colleges mean that Birmingham and Solihull still retain many public sector jobs despite recent cutbacks. The NHS, the University of Birmingham and Birmingham City Council remain some of the largest public sector employers.

Birmingham and Solihull have a strong manufacturing heritage; the sector now accounts for nearly 9% of employment (over 86,000 jobs). Other key employment sectors include retail &wholesale (137,000 jobs), food and accomodation services (63,000 jobs) and transport & storage (59,000).

Birmingham also hosts a cultural and creative industries cluster with strengths in screen and content creation, games, e-sports, design, and marketing. The BBC has a strong base in the city.

The Birmingham City Centre Enterprise Zone is an important local asset and could create up to 40,000 jobs. It comprises 39 sites across the city of new and existing development space focused on business and financial services, information and communications technology, creative industries and digital media sectors.

The construction of the high-speed line HS2 is one of the largest infrastructure projects in the UK with over £1.7 billion worth of contracts already awarded to West Midlands businesses. Hundreds of people have gained new skills and qualifications and over 8,800 local people are working on HS2.The expansion of the Midland Metro Tram Network from the City Centre through East Birmingham to North Solihull and UK Central will further improve the area's transport network and maximise the economic opportunities created by HS2.

Last Updated 5 November 2024