Cogent is in the unique position of having three Skills Academies in its footprint.  In October last year Cogent received DIUS approval for the National Skills Academy Nuclear and in November David Lammy, Minister for Skills, announced that the National Skills Academy Process Industries had also been approved by DIUS.

The Minister made the official announcement regarding NSAPI at LINPAC Plastics, at an event hosted by Chris Horton,  LINPAC Board Director and Chair of the Process Skills Academy. Craig Crowther, Project Director, was announced as Interim Chief Executive.

At the end of last year Science Minister Ian Pearson officially announced the appointment of Jean Llewellyn as Chief Executive of NSAN. The appointment follows her year-long secondment from the Northwest Regional Development Agency leading the Skills Academy project team.

The Oil and Gas Skills Academy was also announced by Alex Salmond, First Minister of Scotland, at the Oil and Gas Awards dinner in Aberdeen in October. This Academy will be formed around the existing entity OPITO, but with a broader and very challenging agenda to address the skill shortage issues facing the offshore industry.

The remit for the new Oil and Gas Academy will extend into the key areas of attraction and supply of the skilled people essential for a sustainable global industry.  Cogent as the SSC will retain an equity interest and governance involvement through the Academy Board.

Joanna Woolf said: “This will mean three self-funding skills delivery and accreditation arms within the Cogent footprint where our role will be to champion standards, influence provision and ensure appropriate integration of skills issues across our sectors.

“We have, with each Academy, a set of clear operating principles defining the relationship between the entities so as to maximise the impact on skills to the benefit of the companies within the sector.”

Click here for NSAN press release

Click here for NSAPI press release

Click here for Oil and Gas press release