2008 launch planned for National Skills Academy

CURRENTLY in the business planning phase, the National Skills Academy for Materials, Production & Supply – which is being established to facilitate access to industry-specific, customized and quality-assured training in manufacturing sectors including building products, glass, coatings, extractive and mineral processing, and print – is scheduled for launch in October 2008.

The development and strategic direction of the Academy is being led by a Council of Governors, comprising employers and trade unions and supported by Proskills, to ensure that companies in these sectors remain competitive in an increasingly globalized marketplace. It has been estimated that skills gaps cost £165,000 per annum for a typical 50-employee business.

The Academy is working with employers and training providers to establish a cohesive approach to training that addresses specific training needs and is centred on innovative and progressive workplace delivery.

Project director Ray Snowdon explained that more than 90% of the companies in the footprint sectors are SMEs. ‘Collectively the age profile of the workforce is increasing, with a high proportion of skilled operatives approaching retirement. This, together with the across-the-board impact of technology, means a constant stream of high-calibre recruits and lifelong upskilling are essential if our industries are to remain competitive.

‘Discussions with employers across the sector have underlined the urgency for something extraordinary that will take employers to the next level, allowing them to secure and sustain their position in a strong and highly competitive global market. A new kind of delivery vehicle is required to take UK process and manufacturing forward; that vehicle is the National Skills Academy.’

The National Skills Academy for Materials, Production & Supply will provide employers with support and tools to allow them to identify the training and skills needs of their business and then provide access to a range of best-in-class providers. The Academy aims to build upon and extend the existing quality provision, improve access to it and identify the gaps in that provision.

The Council of Governors of the National Skills Academy for Materials, Production & Supply is chaired by Catherine Hearn, chief operating officer of Polestar, one of Europe’s leading independent printing companies. She said: ‘The National Skills Academy initiative has been designed to enable employers to take the lead in specifying precisely how, when and where they would like skills training delivered, secure in the knowledge that it is quality-assured.

‘The implementation model is extremely flexible, accommodating the training needs of companies in the footprint sectors, however large or small. And with a range of sponsorship opportunities available, the level of commitment can also be tailored.’