Celebrating the Proskill Sector Compact

The process and manufacturing sector is a vital part of the UK economy, supplying products and services on which many companies depend. Investing in the skills of the workforce improves efficiency, safety and productivity, bringing tangible benefits to all.

The Proskills Sector Compact agreed in June 2008 between Proskills and the Skills Funding Agency has borne significant fruit for industry over the last three years and demonstrated how remarkably effective Proskills can be in driving up skills in the process and manufacturing sector, which includes many small companies, even through a recession. Proskills secured a £62 million agreement to fund training, specifically focused on level 2 qualifications, money which has helped companies across the sector develop the skills of their workforce and build for the future.

The Government changed, budgets were redirected and the sector was hit by the worst recession in decades, yet Proskills was able to identify opportunities for skills development in the sector, and over 650 employers benefitted from nearly £35 million of funding for training. In some parts of the sector the number of people gaining qualifications doubled, while one awarding body alone saw numbers increase by more than 60%. At the end of the three-year compact in June 2011 there had been a 33% increase in uptake of training courses across the process and manufacturing sector as a whole, covering areas identified as priorities by industry.

This focus on skills development is very much in the long-term interests of the extractive and mineral processing industry. Over 2,500 learners gained qualifications relevant to the extractive and mineral processing industry through the Proskills Sector Compact, developing skills which are helping them make a positive contribution to their employers and building their personal value.

The qualifications offered via the Sector Compact were based on analysis of the skills needs of industry. Proskills visits extractive and mineral processing companies all over the country, from large multi-nationals employing thousands of staff on many sites, through to smaller enterprises, helping them participate in learning activity.

The importance of this work has been recognized by employers. To date, more than 1,500 companies have signed Proskills’ sustainable skills pledge – this is a direct consequence of Proskills engaging with employers and using the Sector Compact to access government-funded support.

Employers recognize that training staff not only helps improve company performance, but also makes a crucial difference to the bottom line of their organization. Through the skills pledge, employers gain access to tools and services which ensure training is directly targeted at the needs of the business and delivers bottom-line benefits, minimizing mistakes and waste.

By raising the profile of the extractive and mineral processing industry and ensuring it is treated fairly in funding decisions, Proskills is helping companies build for a future in which skills and technical knowledge will be crucial to commercial success.

Training staff in new methods and techniques can give companies a significant competitive edge, something in which Proskills has a major role to play. Significantly, the Government has also seen that a sectoral approach to engaging employers on skills delivers real impact at a fraction of the cost of the more generic public sector programmes, even in dispersed sectors like process and manufacturing.

The recession has forced many companies in the sector to cut their training budget, but there is still money available for training and Proskills can help companies access it. ‘The sector is at the base of the wider commercial supply chain, making it crucial to the future of the UK economy. By investing in the skills of their workforce companies can equip themselves to deal with emerging commercial challenges and build for their long-term future,’ says Proskills’ CEO, Terry Watts.

‘The legacy of the Sector Compact enables us to continue to work with employers of all sizes and industries, to identify and fulfil the skills needs within their business. We would encourage any employer seeking any kind of training, funded or not, to contact our National Skills Academy before doing anything. Think skills – think Proskills.’