Mapping national approaches to challenges of employment and skills in

the European chemical sector1st Workshop - Brussels, April 2012

Jenny ClucasStrategy Director, Chemicals and Petrochemicals

Cogent

UK Skills Bodies:

UK Government

24 Commissioners

21 Sector Skills Councils

National Skills Academies

Skills Funding Agency

Sector Skills Councils - Funding

• Sector Skills Councils government funding has changed! – via contestable funding (until 31/3/12 was via grant income)

• Other income comes from:– Employers– Project UK and EU– Awarding bodies

• UKCES expenditure for 2012/13 is ~ £84M

• Skills Funding Agency funding - £4 billion per year

Cogent Sector Skills Council The SSC for the Science-based industries for the

Science-basedCogent Industries:• Chemicals• Petroleum• Pharmaceuticals• Life Sciences• Industrial Biotechnology• Polymers• Nuclear

Cogent Role•Providing the Employer Voice on Skills•Developing fit-for-purpose qualifications and standards•Producing sector labour market intelligence•Attracting new talent to the sector

By working with Employers and understanding their skill needs

Cogent SSC Ltd - Structure

Cogent SSC

Cogent Board of Directors(Employer led)

NSA Process

Industries

NSA Nuclear

Technical Apprenticeship

Service

Cogent Advisory Councilsx7

Employers and stakeholders

Cogent and the Skills Academies

Key UK Science Industry Challenges

• Poor Industry Image

• Too few Technicians

• Need to improve Competence and Risk compliance

• Inflexible approach to qualifications & training

• No portable training records esp. for Contractor workforce

What do we do?

CogentNational

Occupational Standards

Apprenticeship Frameworks

Training Standards

Gold Standards

LMI

Qualificationse.g. vocational,

foundation degrees, HNDs

SkillsStrategy

CareerPathways

Current ‘hot’ projects:

Expanding Gold Standard Framework

(e.g. IB, Formulation, Management)

Process Safety Training Standards

Competence AssuranceMechanisms to work with SMEs

Higher Level ApprenticeshipsUK Strategy for Life

Sciences SkillsNuclear build workforce planning

2012 Annual Skills Survey

Scottish Water Treatment

quals

Life Sciences NOS

Thank You&

Questions