The Polymer Leadership Council
The first meeting of the newly formed Polymer Leadership Council
(PLC) took place at the end of 2004 and its representatives from across
the industry are clear about the group’s mission. Cogent Board
member, Dr Michael Cross, speaking on behalf of the group said:
“Workforce development has become a critical issue right across the
plastics industry. Sector skills are now further up the business
agenda, but there is still much to be done if we are to secure a
successful and sustainable future for plastics companies large and
small.
“And in order to exploit the new technologies available in relation
to innovation, design and process technology, the industry needs a
constant intake of new employees both at school-leaver age and from
colleges and universities.
“Collectively we will be working with and helping to steer Cogent,
our sector skills council, to ensure that we tackle the skills gap and
recruit for long-term success, through the formation of an agreed
strategy and delivery plan.”
The PLC is made up of two groups. The first is stakeholder members
including representatives from trade associations, trade unions, Cogent
SSC, DTI and agencies from devolved assemblies. The PLC executive
group comprises employers drawn from the councils of the polymer
industry’s trade associations, the Chairs of the Regional Executive
Forums and the two polymer Board members of Cogent. It will work with
Cogent to agree priorities, and will influence and champion the polymer
industry’s priorities with key stakeholders.
The executive group will also maintain close contact with the other
programmes and priorities in the polymer industry, taking into account
changes in the competitive environment while at the same time ensuring
that all businesses reflect the importance of the skills agenda in all
their activities.
For further details, please contact Kate Hutchins
Executive Forums
These are Strategic decision making groups of senior personnel from industry and trade associations who establish industry key issues, match with regional agency strategies and businesses plans, and formulate common actions and projects for implementation. These are not talking shops, but Forums for action which in the main but not always, will ensure that investment for growth of the sector is secured for a particular region or locality. Examples of such initiatives include:
• North East Executive Forum
As a result of Teesside Tertiary College wishing to sell off all its polymer processing equipment and withdrawing from any provision of vocational training for the plastics sector, coinciding with Newcastle University no longer offering a National Certificate in Polymer Engineering, the industries in the North East had no provision for Apprentices, short course programmes for existing employees and development courses for new starters. An Executive Forum was established with the specific task of engaging forcefully with the Regional Development Agency and the four Learning and Skills Councils in the region to rectify this situation. The outcomes of this type of engagement have resulted in:
o One college and one independent training organisation being fully equipped to offer a full and extensive programme of vocational and educational programmes for the polymer sector.
o A funded Labour Market Intelligence and Skills Survey
o Funding to support a careers campaign in the North East
Employer Learning Networks
These are located in the same regions as the Executive Forums but comprise personnel from industry to include: HR & Personnel managers, Training managers or staff, NVQ practitioners and/or personnel with responsibility for training and workforce development issues.
Their function is purely operational and will share non sensitive best practice training material and delivery infrastructures to enable other companies to benefit and avoid unnecessary duplication. They will engage with local Learning and Skills Councils to maximise funding support for common and specific training and employee development initiatives. A key task and activity is to ensure that local education and training providers deliver what is required and reverse the general tendency to be supply driven as opposed to demand led.
Some groups have developed programmes for NVQ assessor/verifier sharing between companies in order to progress employee skill and knowledge development programmes. Discussions are also underway relating to workforce sharing or pooling, enabling companies to be more flexible in their approach to varying customer orders or sudden increases in new product or customer orders.
Employers from around the regions for both levels of engagement are requested to become involved in existing Forums and assist with the setting up and development of new Forums. Interested organisations from the Sector should contact Brian Manning - tel: 0845 226 9316; mob: 07974 563115.
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