Cogent CEO, Joanna Woolf, said: “This review represents a major proposal to reshape the direction of the whole education and skills system and it’s very good news for employers, who now, more than ever need better skilled employees who can contribute to corporate performance and productivity. The fact that it is from the Treasury means it sits at the heart of Government-policy.  

“In recommending the further strengthening of the role of SSCs like Cogent, Lord Leitch has recognised that that Sector Skills Councils are set up and well placed to articulate the needs of employers.  Now we need to see action - particularly when it comes to further integrating the business agenda into FE and HE.

“Cogent is already working in collaboration with employers in its sector to develop critical strategic projects. The report’s recommendations fully support these plans, particularly the recommendations to streamline and rationalise the employment and skills system, to give SSCs the remit to approve and rationalise vocational qualifications and to extend the Train to Gain programme to higher level skills.”

Cogent has worked over the last year to understand and quantify the skills challenges employers are facing via its Sector Skills Agreement (SSA). The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) has already boosted the SSA by giving the green light to Cogent for a Process Industries National Skills Academy (PINSA) and a Nuclear National Skills Academy (NNSA). These will go live at the end of 2007.

Joanna Woolf added: “These employer-led Academies will play a transformational and catalytic role. They are not just better guides to better provision, but will be driving up standards, working with leading companies and training and education providers.

“This sector-led approach is critical.  Cogent employer success - and there are many high performing successful companies in the footprint - is underpinned by science, engineering and technology.  However, Government policy has very much been directed at funding level 2 and basic skills.

“Employers in the Cogent sector are expressing demand for business-led level 3/4 skills and above. We need to ensure that government policy through Train to Gain, reflects what is needed in every industry - and supports what our employers require to compete in the global economy.”

Productivity

Cogent and its employers recognise that UK productivity lags behind its major competitors already and they are facing serious threats from new ones such as China and India. This is particularly acute in the Cogent industries which continue to face considerable challenges: global competition, the requirement to be safe, healthy, clean and sustainable and ever-increasing public expectations for new and better products.

Cogent has calculated up to 20% of the productivity gap can be closed by improving the skills of employees - that equates to £2.4billion across the Cogent footprint. In addition, with a higher skills-base and greater capability employers can make better use of the best technologies and become faster, leaner and more innovative than the competition.

Employer views on Cogent’s role:

Paul Londesborough: Vice President of GSK Pharmaceuticals said: 
“Skills development is vital to meet the future needs of process industries. The partnership between private and public sector groups through the Process Industries Skills Academy is a first key step on this journey. The employer-led approach is essential and what is needed now more than ever.
 
“By committing to this opportunity, process industry employers are making a major contribution to raising productivity and performance for the whole sector, now and in the future. Our industries have a long tradition of investing in training and PINSA will bring a tremendous boost to this.”

Dr Michael Cross, Cogent Board member and polymer industry expert 
"Leitch is another positive step in the UK's skills journey, and takes us forward in several ways. First, it starts the process of strengthening the employers’ voice and helps to align supply with demand. Second, it helps to focus investment in skills programmes of greater relevance to employees and employers. And third, it clearly builds on Andrew Foster's review of FE and the development of the Skills for Business Network, so we have some real continuity of purpose and direction."

Stuart Harrison, UKAEA HR Business Compliance Manager said:
“Cogent has set up a Sector Skills Agreement with the supply-side in the education world.  It has done this by assessing what skills the nuclear industry needs, what education and training is available, working out what the gaps are and producing an action plan with the education supply-side in order to deliver it. 

“With the changing business environment that the sector faces, UKAEA very much support the efforts Cogent is making to provide career pathways and demonstrable and transferable accredited skills.  This is a highly skilled sector and as such warrants this significant attention to ensure UK plc remains at the forefront of business development in this area.”

Philip Marchant, Marchant Manufacturing:

"The SSA is the first step in providing the polymer industry with the career structure and skill improvement programme that we have been asking for. The industry now has to make sure that it works and that we make full use of it for the benefit of our employees and companies."     

Please click here to review the full report

For further information contact:

Judith Cowan on 01925 515 215  [email protected]

Or

Mervin Dadd on 01925 515 212 [email protected]