Investing in Skills

Investing in skills development is crucial to the long-term health of the extractive and mineral processing industry, argues Jonathan Ledger, extractive and mineral processing industry lead at Proskills (the Sector Skills Council for the Process and Manufacturing Sector), who explores employer assumptions regarding training.

Some employers still believe that quantity is more important than quality, and reach only the minimum production standards in the rush to improve efficiency. Their attitude seems to be: why provide more than is expected when this is only going to create unnecessary costs, which in today’s highly competitive marketplace could be suicidal.

But is this really the reputation the UK extractive and mineral processing industry wants? Employers should be striving to provide high-quality goods to ensure they gain repeat orders and build a reputation for excellence. These days, customers expect more for their money and will shop around to find it, and companies that fail to respond will quickly find themselves left behind.

The answer is right in front of you – your staff. We know that it is not just top-line managers who affect the direction of a company; the entire workforce is involved in a variety of continuous improvement schemes, cost-saving projects and much more. Even those working on a production line have an impact on the business and thoughts on how it can be improved.

Their skills and abilities represent the lifeblood of a business, and while investing in training clearly leads to short-term costs, in the long term it brings real benefits to both the employee and the company. By working together and developing as a team, you are tapping into a vast resource – a person’s potential, that when properly channelled adds real value to a business.

We at Proskills have heard many reasons why employers do not train their staff – the training available is not relevant, there is no time, training is too expensive or they fear that trained staff may leave to join competitors. We know the importance of training, and are committed to helping the UK’s extractive and mineral processing companies invest in skills development.

In the past year, Proskills has secured £2.9 million of government investment to support higher-level skills that will help improve efficiency in the sector. We were awarded Joint Investment Programme (JIP) funds for 2011, and employers in the Proskills sectors can get up to 50% of the cost of training funded by the Government.

Over 3,000 places are available in a variety of higher qualifications including business improvement techniques, management and leadership, sustainability and carbon management. Money is also available for apprenticeship training, which represents a real opportunity for companies to build for their future.

Schemes such as the JIP are an important source of potential funding for employers, particularly with government support from programmes like Train to Gain disappearing and the economic outlook remaining uncertain. Companies are keen to keep costs down, but they also need to invest in training if they are to thrive in the modern marketplace, and the opportunities are out there to help them do so.

Proskills visits extractive and mineral processing companies all over the country, from large multi-nationals to small glass-processing units with few staff – all of whom are interested in the opportunities out there which can help them develop. Employer investment in training schemes will help the UK extractive and mineral processing industry become stronger and compete effectively.

We have to develop new techniques and skills if we are to compete for tomorrow’s business, and Proskills is here to help the UK’s extractive and mineral processing companies maintain their place at the forefront of development.