NSAPI press releases

Employers urged to access new training funds

Administrator — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:51:07 GMT

North West process industries businesses are being urged to get involved with a group that can help them tap into millions of pounds worth of training funding.

The money has been set aside to help them train through the recession and is available for training ranging from basic skills and technical competencies through to high level management and leadership development.

The North West ChemSkills Group was set up to give HR and training managers a platform for discussing skills issues and sharing resources, and feeds into the activities of national process industries bodies.

The group is facilitated by Chemicals North West, and the National Skills Academy Process Industries, a body tasked with helping employers create a UK-wide training and development platform to plug skills gaps across the chemicals, polymers and pharmaceutical sectors.

The skills academy’s North West Regional Skills Manager Roger Langford explains the aims of the group: “The ChemSkills Group is far from just another talking shop, it’s a chance for companies to collectively address the skills needs of the here and now, while planning for the future.

“And it’s a good source of news on new funding, new training provision and best practice sharing.

“For instance the skills academy lobbied for the ring-fencing of £50m from the Train to Gain pot, which has been earmarked specifically for the process industries to train technicians at Levels 2 and 3.

Our connections mean we are tapped into various other sources of funding that is being channelled towards employers, and we can help them identify their training needs and access funding quickly and easily.

“With some North West companies on short time working to retain staff, it’s an ideal time to address training needs while the pressure of production is off. Even if people are not planning to do training in the short term, they still need to be planning further ahead.

“It can take five years to develop relevant skills sets the sector needs and the demographic wave is still breaking. If we believe experts who are predicting that UK employment will take between five and 10 years to return to pre-recession levels, we need to make a start soon to ensure our current workforce is up to the challenge in preparation for the inevitable upturn. It is worth remembering that pre-recession employment levels were record highs and many companies were forecasting skills shortages.

“That is the potential landscape we could return to.

“Together the process industries employ 61,000 people in the North West, and the ChemSkills Group gives employers a real chance to influence not just their own future but that of the region.”

The next ChemSkills meeting takes place on Wednesday 1st April and anyone interested in attending can contact Roger Langford on 01928 513440 or r.langford@process.nsacademy.co.uk.

Employers urged to attend skills summit

Administrator — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:51:07 GMT

ONE of the UK’s most senior industrialists is urging forward-thinking employers to attend a process industries skills summit to discuss ways they can avert the impending skills crisis.

Tom Crotty, Chief Executive of INEOS Olefins and Polymers - a division of the world’s third largest chemical company, is the keynote speaker at the National Skills Academy Process Industries inaugural skills conference.

The conference will see leaders in the pharmaceuticals, polymers and chemicals industries descend on York Racecourse to discuss the future of the crucial sector, which turns over £126,000 a minute.

The process industries contribute £22.7bn a year to the UK economy and with 40% of its workforce aged 45 and over, it is a ticking time bomb unless it attracts new people into the sector and upskills those already employed.

This skills crisis will be at the heart of the conference’s agenda, which is being hosted in York on April 30th.

Mr Crotty said: “At this time of severe pressure across all UK manufacturing industry, the importance of having a highly skilled workforce is even more critical.

“I see the skills academy for the process industries at the heart of ensuring success for our industry.

“This conference is a great opportunity for employers and training providers to come together and ensure that we are all working to a common set of objectives in delivering this critical agenda.”

The one day conference, which is being launched in partnership with Sector Skills Council Cogent, is being billed as the ‘must attend’ event for the process industries, which employ almost half a million people.

The skills academy is working alongside UK training providers and employers to create a training and development framework designed to meet the urgent skills needs of the industries.

The conference programme features masterclass sessions, a Q&A session and six workshops covering a range of topics including:

The Skills Pipeline
Shaping the future of Skills
Apprenticeships – adding real value to the bottom line
A showcase of World Class Training Practices and Facilities in our Industry
How can the Process Industry influence the Government’s Manufacturing Strategy
Process Safety – how skills and behaviour can save your life and your business.

Philip Jones, the skills academy’s Chief Executive, said: “We are urging employers and training providers across the UK to step up and play their part in the biggest step change the process industries have ever seen, and which will have a dramatic impact on its future success.”

The conference takes place on 30th April 2009 in York. For more information visit the conference website at www.processnationalskillsconference.co.uk or telephone Nicky Wake on 01706 828855.

New academy assistant to help bridge skills gap

Administrator — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:51:07 GMT

THE National Skills Academy Process Industries has welcomed a new member to its growing team.

The skills academy, which recently relocated to new headquarters in Darlington, County Durham, has appointed Lisa Maw as an Employment Engagement Administrator.

Lisa, 25, has been appointed to encourage younger people to join the skills academy, which addresses skills and training needs throughout the chemical, polymer, and pharmaceutical sectors.

The University of Edinburgh graduate has honed skills in all areas involved in her new role, having previously worked in recruitment for the science industry.

With a degree in Biological Science, Lisa, who lives in Newcastle, most recently worked as a QA Administration Assistant at Newcastle medical device manufacturer Leica Microsystems.

Lisa said: “As a science graduate, who has worked within commercial business development and target driven environments, I hope to be able to apply those skills in encouraging interest in the academy.

“I’m really excited about joining the organisation at such an exciting time in its development.

“I hope that by joining the team, I will be able to help plug the skills gap in the process industries.”

The academy, whose national hub is headquartered in the North East, has successfully rolled out five regional ‘spokes’ covering the North-West, Midlands, Yorkshire & the Humber and the South-East and London.

Engaging new appointment for skills academy

Administrator — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:51:07 GMT

A former chemist has joined the National Skills Academy Process Industries team, which has its headquarters in Darlington, to strengthen its links with employers representing the UK’s 345,000-strong process industries workforce.

Mandeep Smith, formerly a Method Development Chemist at Glaxo Smith Kline, takes up the national role of Employment Engagement Manager. The academy is working with employers and training providers to plug crucial skills gaps by creating a specialist training and development framework driven by employers themselves.

Based at the academy’s North East delivery arm but with a national remit, her role will take her out into the five active academy regions and beyond, as two new bases are established in the South West and Scotland later this year. These will complement the existing regional delivery arms in the North East, North West, Midlands, South East and Yorkshire and the Humber, which are each managed by a Regional Skills Manager.

Mandeep brings a wealth of relevant experience to the position. With an initial degree in Chemistry and a Masters in Analytical Chemistry, her background includes eight years working in the chemical and process industries, mainly in management and recruitment roles.

Mandeep said: “This is a national role which will take me around the country, meeting employers and training providers and generally spreading the word.

“Essentially I will be travelling the UK to speak to process industries employers about what’s available to them and how we can help.

“This will pave the way for our team of Regional Skills Managers to make a follow up visit for in-depth discussions on how we can support them with academy products and services.”

Chief Executive Philip Jones said: “We are delighted to have appointed someone of Mandeep’s calibre and with such a sound science background.

“Her appointment will help to spread the academy’s message and give real consistency to our partnerships with the employer audience across the UK.”

She added: “My hands-on experience of working in the process industries means I’m well aware of the pressures employers are under, and what help they need in terms of upskilling opportunities.”

Employers set to PAC up processing troubles

Administrator — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:51:07 GMT

PROCESS industries employers could find many of their problems neatly PAC-ed away through a project that aims to deliver an average 10-fold improvement on productivity and competitiveness, and all for an initial investment of just £700.

The BITPAC programme (Business Improvement Techniques Productivity and Competitiveness) was developed by the Manufacturing Skills Alliance and is being spearheaded by the National Skills Academy Process Industries, as part of its mission to help companies address skills issues.

The programme is designed to help chemical, pharmaceutical and polymer businesses to create a sustainable improvement culture, through a powerful combination of simultaneously making process improvements and upskilling their workforce.

The programme can last anywhere between six and nine months, depending on need. The initial stage involves an expert PAC analyst working with businesses to assess their business priority areas and measure quality, cost and delivery.

The second stage sees the analyst assess skills gaps and recommend BIT (Business Improvement Technique) qualifications for staff as required. The analyst can also arrange for a qualified engineer to work with staff to guide the improvement process, and bring in an expert training provider to assess staff who will be involved directly with the work.

Neil Wilkinson, the skills academy’s BITPAC champion and also Regional Skills Manager for the East and West Midlands, explains more about the scheme: “The core objectives are to help employers find ways to increase production, reduce labour costs, cut machine downtime and build their own capacity to deliver sustainable year-on-year improvements.

“The data is gathered, collated and used in a process developed by the Department of Trade and Industry, called Quality Cost Delivery (QCD). This examines whether a business is making the most effective use of their equipment, if their waste can be reduced and if there are any issues with their deliveries.

“The analyst assesses the company in seven key areas of the business. In most cases the result is a tailored, short term project designed to have an immediate impact on the bottom line.

“Simultaneously, the staff are being trained on BIT so they can all earn a Level 2 or Level 3 qualification, but more importantly so that they can continue to deliver improvements beyond the lifetime of this initial high impact project.”

Progress is benchmarked by a repeat of the initial assessment at the end of the programme, to demonstrate the improvements that have taken place.

“Industry employers can make significant gains against a small investment, not only through the improved processes, but through better informed and better qualified staff,” adds Neil.

“And because cost is such an issue in the current climate, we have worked with partners to develop a new fully integrated delivery process that means employers can access this whole process and expert help for just £700, which delivers excellent value.”

Employers interested in hearing more about how the scheme can help their business should contact Neil Wilkinson on tel: 07894 483 697 or e: n.wilkinson@process.nsacademy.co.uk.

Training experts celebrate business-boosting partnership

Alastair Edees — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:51:07 GMT

THE National Skills Academy Process Industries has welcomed the first commercial training partner to have its products and services successfully accredited to skills academy standards, giving the training company access to hundreds of employers seeking skills training.

UK-wide training and development provider PICME is now accredited as an academy Centre for Business Improvement, working alongside the skills academy to help employers in the chemicals, pharmaceuticals and polymers sectors address crucial skills gaps across the £67bn industries.

PICME was set up in 2000 specifically to service the UK’s process industries, and its approach is based on helping businesses to improve performance through engaging with their people and improving their skills.

The company becomes the first commercial provider to join the skills academy’s training provider network, which was set up with the help of employers keen to have access to an accredited bank of providers, and whose expertise has been verified to high standards they themselves have set.

PICME will now have access to a series of skills academy online resources such as the Skills Passport, which is a portable e-record of learning, and the opportunity to engage with employers through participation in a programme of workshops and seminars. The partnership is also set to boost PICME’s business development activities through referrals from the skills academy’s country-wide network of specialists.

Sarah Grindrod , client services manager, of PICME said: “Becoming a skills academy accredited training partner is a great achievement for our team, who work so hard to create and deliver the range and depth of training programmes and bottom line savings that employers seek.

“As well as the obvious business development benefits that the accreditation will bring, we look forward to making our own contribution to the skills academy’s work to help employers themselves drive the skills agenda.

“Our work with over 200 client organisations - collectively saving them over £120million - means we understand the needs of process industries employers, can quickly recognise good and weak practices and know what improvements are possible and how these should be approached. We lead the development of best practice in this critical sector and have demonstrated that we have the credibility and competencies required to work with the skills academy to bring about major change within the industries’ skills development framework.”

Chief executive of the National Skills Academy Process Industries, Phil Jones, said: “We are delighted to welcome PICME as the first commercial provider to become an academy Centre for Business Improvement.

“The company’s excellent track record on both design and delivery clearly illustrate that its team understands process industries skills issues. As a founder member of our provider network we see them as a crucial partner in helping us to create a joined-up skills framework that will benefit everyone working in the process industries.

“Addressing the wide-ranging skills issues and raising the standards bar across this £67bn industry is no small task, and we need high calibre companies such as PICME to work alongside us to help employers create the world-class workforce that will secure their long term future.”

The partnership was officially endorsed at the skills academy’s recent inaugural National Skills Conference, which brought together employers and providers keen to address the skills shortages within the process industries.

Process industries employers in the frame

Alastair Edees — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:51:07 GMT

A group of Teesside photography students are seeing their work showcased at the new headquarters of the National Skills Academy’s Process Industries in Darlington, thanks to a commission designed to encourage the region’s fledgling professional photographers.

The students, who are studying for their BTEC National Diploma in Photography at Cleveland College of Art and Design, toured facilities and locations across Teesside to capture images representative of today’s high-tech process industries.

The commission was given an added twist when the skills academy asked students to produce images that would sit easily with its brand colours of burnt orange and grey.

Student Danny Lowe’s stunning image of the Teesside industrial skyline at night was chosen for pride of place in the academy’s board room at Morton Palms Business Park.

The students also displayed their images at the academy’s National Skills Conference in York, where delegates from all over the UK had chance to visit the exhibition stand and see their work on show.

Photography lecturer Shaun Cook said: “We are always keen to forge links with industry and this was a fantastic project for the students. It gave them real life work experience, as they were working to the client’s expectations instead of a formulated brief, and they were also able to get access to what would normally be restricted areas within academy member companies.

“The project has been really worthwhile in that it has provided them with practical experience as well as increasing their confidence, and of course given them the chance to show their work to a wider audience.”

The skills academy is part of a national network of 11 academies, established to forge links between employers and training providers and help to plug skills gaps in crucial sectors of the economy. The chemicals, polymers and pharmaceutical sectors that together form the process industries, represent a turnover of £17m per day in the North East alone.

Dr Ian Mains, business development manager at the skills academy, said: “The work that the students submitted was very impressive.

“As an organisation our focus is firmly on skills development, so when we thinking about where we could find artwork that would reflect our work within the process industries it was a logical move to team up with a set of people who are investing in their own skills and careers.

“We are very pleased to be able to do something to promote young talent in the region, and give aspiring photographers a place to showcase their work, which in turn may lead to commissions from our members and visitors. We are hopeful of being able to make this a regular commission and look forward to working with the students again in the future.”

Companies interested in taking part in the next industrial art project should send a message to: enquiries@process.nsacademy.co.uk

Training specialist wins academy backing

Alastair Edees — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:51:07 GMT

ONE of the East Midlands’ leading providers of Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) management training has had its products and services officially endorsed by the National Skills Academy Process Industries.

East Midlands-based Focus Management for Business is one of five regional education and training providers that now have Academy endorsement, giving them access to hundreds of UK employers looking for specialist training to help them address the urgent skills crisis facing this £67 billion sector.

The East Midlands process industries, which cover the chemicals, polymers and pharmaceutical sectors, employ over 36,000 people and turn over the equivalent of £9000 per minute.

Focus has successfully trained nearly 500 ILM students over the past 10 years, and has gone through a rigorous assessment process to be accredited as an Academy Centre of Leadership and Management.

Its staff will be working alongside the Academy and regional employers to create bespoke courses as part of a national training and accreditation framework that will help resolve industry skills issues.

Part of a national network, the Skills Academy was established to help close the process industries skills gap, and chose the East Midlands as one of five regional bases where a high concentration of process industry employers are located.

Led completely by employers, the Academy is a one stop shop for training issues, bringing employers and training specialists together to identify and address skills issues, in addition to lobbying for funding at a national level.

The Academy’s Regional Skills Manager for the East and West Midlands, Neil Wilkinson said: “We are delighted to welcome Focus to our list of accredited providers, and look forward to helping them create partnerships with employers looking for high quality, specialist leadership and management training.

Focus Management for Business Managing Director Malcolm Yates said: “It’s fantastic that the Skills Academy has a base here in the Midlands. It means that we’re able to get support specific to our needs, with a skills manager who knows exactly what the issues are in our region.

“The Academy is developing training programmes that meet the needs of employers and will 'up-skill' the staff employed by them. We provide high quality management training and are able to give the process companies access to first class training and development of all their management staff.

“Having the Academy’s support endorses our products and services, and will give employers confidence in the quality of our training.

“We look forward to helping play a full and active part in the development of the Academy’s activities here in the region.”

Other providers in the East and West Midlands who are now Academy-accredited include West Nottingham College, Derby College, Walsall College and Chesterfield College.

ABB Engineering Services Wins Academy Backing

Alastair Edees — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:51:07 GMT

One of the country’s leading technical consultancies to process industries across the world has had its products and services officially endorsed by the National Skills Academy Process Industries.

North West-based ABB Engineering Services is one of five regional education and training providers that now have Academy endorsement, giving them access to hundreds of UK employers looking for specialist training to help them address the urgent skills crisis facing this £67 billion sector.

The North West process industries, which cover the chemicals, polymers and pharmaceutical sectors, employ over 61,000 people and turn over the equivalent of £35,000 per minute.

ABB which operates in more than 100 countries and has over 500 employees in its Warrington base alone, has gone through a rigorous assessment process to be accredited. This will enhance the Academy’s coverage of the skills agenda and give it complete breadth from Level 2 NVQ to Continuous Professional Development for Chartered Engineers in the relevant sectors.

Part of a national network, the Skills Academy was established to help close the process industries skills gap, and chose the North West as one of five regional bases where a high concentration of process industry employers are located.

The Academy’s Regional Skills Manager for the North West, Roger Langford said: “We are delighted to welcome ABB on to our list of Accredited Providers and look forward to engaging with employers to address the higher level skills needs for their current and future Chartered Engineers”

ABB Engineering Services marketing manager Dai Richards said: “It’s fantastic that the Skills Academy has a base here in the North West. It means that we’re able to get support specific to our needs, with a skills manager who knows exactly what the issues are in our region.

“The Academy is developing training programmes that meet the needs of employers and will 'up-skill' the staff employed by them. The academy, like ABB, has a huge interest in making our process industry great, and one of the best ways is to help people upskill.

“Having the Academy’s support endorses our products and services, and will give employers confidence in the quality of our training.

“We’re both working towards the same goal and look forward to helping play a full and active part in the development of the Academy’s activities here in the region.”

Other providers in the North West who are now Academy-accredited include Trafford College, Riverside College, PICME and Wirral Met College.

Leading College wins Academy backing

Lisa Maw — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:51:07 GMT

One of the West Midlands’ leading colleges has had its products and services officially endorsed by the National Skills Academy Process Industries.

West Midlands-based Walsall College is one of five regional education and training providers that now have Academy endorsement, giving them access to hundreds of UK employers looking for specialist training to help them address the urgent skills crisis facing this £67 billion sector.

The West Midlands process industries, which cover the chemicals, polymers and pharmaceutical sectors, employ over 28,000 people and turn over the equivalent of £8700 per minute. Walsall College has gone through a rigorous assessment process to be accredited as an Academy Centre of Polymers.

Part of a national network, the Skills Academy was established to help close the process industries skills gap, and chose the West Midlands as one of five regional bases where a high concentration of process industry employers are located. Led completely by employers, the Academy is a one stop shop for training issues, bringing employers and training specialists together to identify and address skills issues, in addition to lobbying for funding at a national level.

The Academy’s Regional Skills Manager for the East and West Midlands, Neil Wilkinson said: “We are delighted to welcome Walsall College to our list of accredited providers, and look forward to helping them create partnerships with employers looking for high quality, specialist leadership and management training.

Walsall College Principal, Amarjit Basi said: “Walsall College is proud to be recognised as an accredited Academy Centre for Polymers. Our outstanding employer partnerships and enviable reputation for delivering innovative training solutions means that we are equipped to further support the needs of the process industries sector across the UK.”

Other providers in the East and West Midlands who are now Academy-accredited include West Nottingham College, Derby College, Chesterfield College and Maguire Training.

National Skills Academy Process Industries News Release

Skills Academy Appoints Budding Apprentice

Alastair Edees — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:51:07 GMT

THE body set up to help process industries employers to plug crucial skills gaps has appointed its own young apprentice.

Darlington College student Katie Haldane has been selected to join National Skills Academy Process Industries, which now represents 20% of the UK’s chemicals, polymers and pharmaceutical sectors workforce.

The 20-year-old who lives in Eppleby, North Yorkshire, recently completed an NVQ Level 2 in Business Administration, and is now in her second month of her apprenticeship at National Skills Academy Process Industries headquarters in Darlington as part of her NVQ Level 3.

Katie’s varied role as National Skills Academy Process Industries apprentice involves all aspects of clerical and administrative support, initially helping the administration and finance teams with reception duties, meeting arrangements, creating and updating documentation and setting up new filing systems.

The academy is working with employers and training providers to plug crucial skills gaps by creating a specialist training and development framework driven by employers themselves.

Katie said: “When my college tutor told me about the apprenticeship opportunity I sent my CV into the National Skills Academy Process Industries straight away. I was delighted when I was called in for an interview and then chosen for the job.”

“My first month has gone really well and I’m gaining really valuable experience. I love the job so far and everyone has been really welcoming.”

Chief Executive Philip Jones said: “We are delighted to welcome Katie to the team as our apprentice. We are constantly reinforcing the importance of training and skills development and want to stress the positive benefits employing an apprentice can bring to a company. It is great to be able to offer apprenticeships in our own headquarters and see this for ourselves.

“We are very much looking forward to working with Katie and seeing her progress and develop within the company.”

Pentagon Boss picks up Skills Baton

Lisa Maw — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:51:07 GMT

THE man responsible for turning round the fortunes of chemicals business Pentagon is now picking up the baton for UK skills.

Glasgow-born Allan Laing, who led a management buyout that transformed two ailing companies into an award winning, £40m specialities and fine chemicals business in five years, has joined the main board of the National Skills Academy Process Industries.

Set up and led by employers, the Academy is charged with helping them get to grips with crucial skills issues across the polymers, chemicals, pharmaceutical and downstream petroleum industries.

It works with a bank of accredited training providers using fit-for-purpose products to help businesses identify and plug skills gaps in their training and development frameworks, in order to sustain skilled workforces.

Pentagon Chief Executive Allan Laing has 35 years’ experience in the chemical sector, graduating from the University of Strathclyde with an honours degree in chemical engineering before starting his career with ICI in 1975. Pentagon now employs 170 staff across two sites in the North West, specialising in the core technologies of phosgenation, Grignards, sodium dispersion, bromination, chlorination, Vilsmeier and maleic anhydride chemistry in support of the industrial and life science markets.

Mr Laing said: “Following the MBO in mid-2002, the Workington-based business has continued to improve its performance and much of its success can be attributed to our focus on skills which has helped achieve world-class manufacturing standards. We made a major acquisition less than two years after the MBO which was a real challenge. Organisational and financial restructuring was required to return the business to profit and, again, the skills of people played a major part in our recovery.

“The Academy’s ethos of ‘for employers, by employers’ is at the heart of its work - it is vital that employers themselves take ownership of their skills issues and implement action.

“I am very pleased to be joining an experienced board with a good balance of industrialists and NSA stakeholders who understand the practical skills issues involved in running a successful business, and who can pass on that experience to others. The process industries are going through a period of great change and the skills we need today are not necessarily those we will need tomorrow, and we need to plan for that.

“For instance we have an ageing workforce, not enough young people coming through and a trend for much of the young talent going into other sectors because of a misconception about process industries careers. Added to that, we are seeing a rising demand for new, green collar workers to service the growing bio markets.

“At Pentagon we encourage people to engage in their own career development and then give them the opportunities to progress. Upskilling the workforce, creating an apprenticeship programme and making sure we were constantly monitoring our skills platform and equipping our people with the skills needed to match the business plan plays a major part in our success. I see in my role a chance to help other companies to benefit from our experience and get to grips with the issues that, if not addressed, will hamper their future success when the economic upturn comes.”

The Academy’s main board is supported by five regional boards, made up of local employers in the key process industries concentrations of the North West, the North East, the Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber, and the South-East and London. Laing is also Chair of the North West Regional Skills Board, which directs the Academy’s activities across the region.

Academy Chief Executive Phil Jones said: “We are delighted to welcome Allan to the board. His hands-on experience and straight-talking approach to dealing with the skills problems that the industries face will add weight to our efforts to help employers create the best possible workforce on which to base their future success.”

Allan Laing is also a member of the European Fine Chemicals Group Board within the European Chemical Industry Council, and is Chairman of the Agrochemical and Intermediates Manufacturers Europe.

www.process.nsacademy.co.uk

www.pentagonchemicals.co.uk

Skills Chief urges swift action on apprentices

Lisa Maw — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:51:07 GMT

THE CEO of the National Skills Academy Process Industries, Phil Jones, has called on the government to follow Scotland’s lead in developing innovative ways to help employers maintain their apprenticeship programmes in the face of the recession.

The Skills Academy is part of a national network of 11 employer-led academies operating in crucial sectors, and works alongside chemicals, polymers and pharmaceutical employers to help them address the skills issues that impact upon their businesses. The £67bn turnover industries are predicted to need 24,000 apprentices to fill the gap which will be left by older workers set to retire in the next decade.

The Academy boss is holding up two schemes being run by the Scottish Government, which he says are examples of how the problem could be tackled. Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond recently announced a ‘two for the price of one’ scheme for life science employers, pledging that the government would meet the full salary costs of the second apprentice. Scottish employers also benefit from a new ‘adopt an apprentice’ scheme, which sees them being paid £2000 to recruit a redundant apprentice.

Phil Jones said: “There are more than 11,000 employers in the process industries and many of them are struggling to maintain apprenticeship levels through the current economic climate.

“We simply cannot afford to let these young people disappear into other industries, or worse still, leave the labour market entirely because their employers can no longer afford to run or complete their apprenticeship programmes.

“Other sectors such as construction and automotive have already received government assistance, and the creation of the National Apprentice Service is a step in the right direction.

“We have been lobbying hard on behalf of our members in the chemicals, polymers and pharmaceutical sectors. We now need some action, and we need it fast if this significant economic sector is to make its full contribution to the eventual upturn.

“We urge Ministers to follow Scotland’s lead and apply some innovative thinking to come up with a fast and practical response to the problem of attracting and retaining the young talent our industries need.”

www.process.nsacademy.co.uk

Plasweld enters new training support scheme

Lisa Maw — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:51:07 GMT

A SPECIALIST industrial plastic welding training provider has become the first in its sector to benefit from a new training support scheme endorsed by the National Skills Academy Process Industries.

Cambridgeshire-based Plasweld, which also has a Cleveland operation, offers a range of industrial plastic welding training courses both nationally and internationally, is now fully supported by the Skills Academy and can therefore award world-wide recognised certifications.

As one of the first companies to get involved in the Skills Academy’s Short Course Provider scheme, Plasweld will continue to offer its niche training products, while continuously being supported and assessed to the current European standards EN 13067 for Plastic Welders.

Plasweld Managing Director Jonathan Sykes said “We’re very proud to be the first UK plastic and welding company to enter the scheme. The scheme provides us with independent assessment, a provision of examiners and approval of the release of certificates to successful candidates.

“We’re just in the early stages at the moment, but we’re absolutely looking forward to working alongside the Skills Academy. It presents us with a wonderful opportunity to enhance knowledge and awareness within our industry sector of the standards that can be achieved in plastic welding.

“With the backing and support of the world-renowned Academy, we can raise the bar in plastic welding training, while increasing safety levels, allowing us to help improve skills and training in the international arena.”

Under the scheme, people who are able to apply the Skills Academy name against their weld procedure documentation and associated certification are recognised internationally for their competence and credibility.

Skills Academy Regional Skills Manager Lucy Milton said: “We are delighted to welcome Plasweld as one of the first companies working with us on the Short Course Provider Scheme, and look forward to helping them create partnerships with employers looking for high quality, specialist plastic welding training and formal qualification.

“The process industries face a very real skills shortage and by building partnerships with training providers such as Plasweld, we are able to create bespoke training programmes – to nationally-agreed standards - to fill those gaps.

“Part of our work involves building a strong training provider network, made up of members who have had their products and services assessed against the Academy’s rigorous assessment process.

“This gives employers the assurance that they are dealing with an organisation whose services are already acknowledged as being both specialist to the process industries, and of very high quality.”

The Skills Academy represents 20% of the UK’s process industries workforce. It is creating a national network of Academy-accredited providers that employers can turn to for help in solving the urgent skills crisis facing the process industries and has tailored the new scheme to allow more specialist providers the opportunity to offer certification.

The chemicals, polymers and pharmaceutical sectors together employ more than 33,000 people in the East of England, turnover over the equivalent of £18,000 per minute and help to produce many of the essentials for day-to-day living.

The Skills Academy is part of a national network, created by the Government to put employers in key sectors in charge of shaping the future skills framework and creating their own world class workforce.

National Skills Academy lays new foundations at parliament launch

Lisa Maw — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:51:07 GMT

THE strategic alliance between Sector Skills Council to the science-based industries, Cogent SSC and the National Skills Academy Process Industries launched a new funding stream for higher level skills at Westminster last week, supported by industrialists from the process and nuclear industries.

Hosted by Ian Stewart, MP for Eccles, the event attracted over 100 leading industrialists and sector heads who are engaged with the skills agenda.

A new £3m package of new subsidised foundation degrees will be rolled out for the chemicals, petrochemicals, polymers, bioscience and pharmaceutical sectors at universities across the UK.

Called “Working Higher” it is funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), under their Employer Engagement Fund. The project will support an Employer Champion for each part of the Sector to ensure a robust employer-led programme.

Cogent has identified higher level skills gaps across the sector in areas such as project management and innovation as well as in higher level technical skills.

Being led by the University of Hull who will host the Petrochemicals foundation degree, Manchester Metropolitan University will host the chemicals foundation degree, London Metropolitan will host the Polymers foundation degree and the University of Kent will host the Bioscience foundation degree.

The Working Higher programme aims to fill the skills gap across these vital industries. It will support people already working in sciences to develop their talents and reduce shortages of expertise in a sector where many highly experienced individuals are moving closer to retirement.

The event at the Houses of Parliament also looked into the future to predict exactly what types of employees the industries will need, especially as emerging technologies will paint a greener agenda with new skills to match.

Tom Crotty CEO of INEOS Olefins and Polymers Europe, heralded the importance of the National Skills Academy Process Industries to deliver the relevant skills products to employers through its network of training providers and links to funding streams.

“We are a highly capital intensive industry that needs the people to realise a prosperous future. At INEOS we have also had to make cutbacks in the current climate, but people development has not been one of them. You can’t stop and start apprenticeship schemes or stop maintaining graduate programmes. We must be trained and ready for growth when the upturn arrives.”

Speaking out on the need for younger people to enter the industry, he added: “We are failing our young people if we can’t persuade them of the fantastic jobs in the process industries.”

Equally, being based in Scotland, Mr Crotty spoke out of the need for the devolved assemblies outside England to support the work of the National Skills Academy Process Industries and at a wider level he appealed for further Government engagement: “We set up the Academy to be the voice of the industry and skills - now the Government needs to give the Academy some teeth.”

SKILL UP OR BE LEFT BEHIND, EMPLOYERS URGED

Lisa Maw — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:51:07 GMT

WEST MIDLANDS who want to create a worldclass workforce and beat off global competitors as the economy starts to recover can take advantage of a free business breakfast this month.

Businesses in the UK’s £67bn polymers, chemicals and pharmaceutical sectors, which together employ 28,000 people in the West Midlands, are facing skills challenges that threaten their very survival, according to skills body the National Skills Academy Process Industries.

The Academy’s board chairman Chris Horton, also Director and Vice President of £500m-plus business LINPAC Packaging, which employs 4,000 staff, will be outlining the skills strategy needed to support the process industries over the next decade at the event on Wednesday, February 10.

He is urging employers to start by signing up to the Skills Pledge: “The stark truth is that businesses which don’t have a well thought out skills development framework in place are unlikely to survive over the next 10 years.

“As the economy starts to recover, we need to enlist all the support we can get in order to upskill our current workforce and attract more young people into the industries, especially if we are to meet the challenges posed by overseas competitors.

“China and India are steaming ahead while up and coming manufacturing economies in countries in the Eastern Bloc, such as Poland, are benefiting from the extra financial support offered to new EC members.

“In the UK there are also new opportunities in sectors like advanced composites, which will benefit from the increase in wind turbine production and other green initiatives.

“If we can’t compete with overseas competitors in areas such as labour costs, we must put ourselves in a strong position where we can out-skill them, and with the continuing emphasis on budgets, that means accessing all the funding and practical support available to us.

“We want to use this event to get the message across loud and clear to employers – there is help out there but if we don’t act, and quickly, we will see ourselves left behind in both the UK and the global markets.”

The breakfast event will also include presentations from Business Link speakers, who will outline the regional support and funding packages available to employers.

For more details and to book a free place at the breakfast, call Lisa Maw on 0845 607 0140, or email: industry@process.nsacademy.co.uk.

DIARY NOTE/DETAILS:

Date: Wednesday 10th February 2010
Time: 8am to 10am
Place: Business Link offices, Quinton, West Midlands
Event: Skills for the New Decade
Organisers: National Skills Academy Process Industries, and Business Link

National Skills Academy Process Industries to embrace composites and biotechnology

Lisa Maw — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:51:07 GMT

Lord Mandelson today within his "New Industry, New Jobs: One Year on" speech has given the green light to an extension of the National Skills Academy Process Industries to create two new hubs for Biotechnology and Composites.

The Skills for Growth strategy announced back in October 2009 invited bids for new National Skills Academies. The extension bid to include composites and biotechnology by Cogent Sector Skills Council (SSC) and the National Skills Academy Process Industries is the first of its kind, and provides a platform to support the skills needed to help these UK industries become world leaders.

The extension is an evolution of the Academy’s current role and fits perfectly within their current remit. It is also a strategically important platform for the development of emerging technologies in the chemical, polymer and pharmaceutical manufacturing sectors.

Phil Jones, CEO for the Academy welcomed today’s announcement, “Biotechnology is one of the most demanding and rapidly growing fields in science. The growth in both research and product development activities in biotechnology requires highly trained personnel in order to deliver solutions to the agricultural industry and the health sector, which will in turn benefit society and help drive forward the economy.

“We are also extremely pleased to hear Business Minister Ian Lucas announce the proposed site for the National Composites Centre in Bristol.” This is another key milestone in the development of a low-carbon economy and the Academy will now help to tackle key strategic challenges currently being faced by the aerospace and power generation industries through the development of the Composite hub.“

Joanna Woolf, CEO of Cogent SSC said, “We are looking forward to continuing our working relationship with the Learning Skills Council (LSC) and subsequently the Skills Funding Agency to develop our business plans and ultimately deliver training solutions tailored to employers needs and tackling long-term challenges faced by the sector’s workforce. The announcement is great news for employers in some of the UK’s most innovative industries and is a testament to the value they place on the work of Cogent and the National Skills Academy Process Industries. We would like to thank all the industrialists, trade bodies and stakeholders who have been so supportive in helping us develop the bid to the LSC and extend our capacity to provide skills solutions for composites and biotechnology employers.”

Package to help support apprentices

Matt Lowe — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:51:07 GMT

Package to help support apprentices

Regional development Agency One North East has appointed the Skills Academy to project manage the apprenticeship project for the Tees Valley Industrial
Programme (TVIP).

The TVIP is designed to support the economy of the Tees Valley through a package of industrial support, enterprise and training, which will operate from April 2010 through to March 2012. The programme is being taken forward through eight workstreams, comprising a mix of strategic and tactical projects.

The Skills Academy will manage the £2.4m funding for one of the projects, the
Engineering Apprenticeship Programme, which is specifically aimed at helping over
150 apprentices who are currently on level 2 or 3 of their apprenticeship framework and who are at risk of redundancy or where they might be unable to complete their course due to the economic downturn.

Sixty-five Corus apprentices have already been supported by this project to continue or complete their apprenticeship, ensuring that the Tees Valley continues to benefit from a well-trained labour force.

The Skills Academy will manage Tees Valley Apprenticeship Programme (TVAP) funding designed to accommodate apprentices to complete their frameworks and to sustain their prospects of employment in Tees Valley. As such all employers providing industry relevant products and services from premises located in Tees
Valley, or are hosting engineering apprentices from the Tees Valley are eligible to participate.

The TVIP provides employers with the funding required to retain or employ those apprentices currently at risk or those that have already been made redundant. The fund will also help employers to host work experience for apprentices receiving training allowances and sponsor apprenticeship completers to enter higher education progression opportunities allocated to secure engineering apprenticeships that are at risk of redundancy in the Tees Valley. These new workers are vital to the future success of the engineering-based industries in the region and we need to support their training and employment.

On July 23, TVAP will hold a launch event at the Wilton Centre, Redcar, between 11am and 1pm. The event is designed to raise awareness of the scheme among employers and discuss how they can become involved and receive support.

For more information, visit: www.nsa-tvap.co.uk or contact Alex Slater, the Skills Academy’s Finance and Administration Manager, on 01325 740 900.

The Tees Valley Apprenticeship Programme is run jointly by the National Skills
Academy for the Process Industries, One NorthEast, National Apprenticeship
Service, NEPIC and Tees Valley Engineering Partnership.

Source: NE Business

Durham to get £2m skills academy

Matt Lowe — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:51:07 GMT

Durham to get £2m skills academy

A new £2million national skills academy is to be set up in the region as part of plans for an education and science village.

A deal has been struck to bring the National Skills Academy for the Process Industry (NSAPI) to Durham, with the move to link in with Framwellgate School.

The lab will offer apprenticeships and training for workers in chemical processing industries, such as laboratory technicians, with courses at the site run by Newcastle College.

It will also run an education programme, which will see children from County Durham visit the academy, expected to open by January 2013.

The science village will bring together Framwellgate School, in Durham, Framwellgate Moor Primary School, Durham Trinity School for special needs and the North East Science Learning Centre.

The new unit will be called Framwellgate CAMPUSc and will incorporate teaching,research and small businesses, with the scheme included as part of Durham County Council's £500million Building Schools for the Future programme.

Framwellgate School's headteacher Joan Sjovoll, said: 'Our vision at Framwellgate is to create a world-class centre for science education and training through a coherent, collaborative approach. 'The Skills Lab will create exciting and relevant opportunities to benefit learners regionally and nationally. 'It's a real coup to have it here in Durham and it is the only such partnership with a school.'

Source: Sunderland Echo