Last month, the mayor launched his Growth Plan, which aims to create 93,000 quality, well-paid jobs over a decade.
He said: “By connecting people to good jobs in the region’s fastest-growing sectors, we’re not just changing lives – we’re building our economy.”
Young people are being given access to training, education, careers guidance and other support, including work preparation lessons at school.
Erdington resident Daniel Harte, 25, had to give up his career as a chef when he developed a reaction to chemicals commonly used in a kitchen.
After a year unemployed, he joined a West Midlands Combined Authority-funded Engineering Path2Apprenticeship with Performance Through People (PTP).
He attended a PTP training centre to learn practical welding skills.
Mr Harte secured an apprenticeship at Rotadex Systems, an engineering and manufacturing storage solutions company, for a Level 2 LEAN Manufacturing Operative Apprentice, with PTP as the training provider.
He said: “Path 2 Apprenticeships made the learning very easy. It was fun and engaging, and the tutors were extremely helpful when I made mistakes.”