This issue of our eBulletin brings you an update on some of our key projects and what’s been happening over the summer. Employer input is at the heart of our remit to boost skills across the Cogent footprint. If you would like to find out more about getting involved in Cogent’s work or have any views on the articles contained in this eBulletin contact Judith Cowan.

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Last year Cogent got the green light to develop business plans for two skills academies – and we were delighted to be in the unique position of progressing excellence in education and training for two key industries in our sector. Both the National Skills Academy Process Industries and the National Skills Academy Nuclear have completed the business planning stage. We now await the outcomes of the approval process via the LSC and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS).  A ministerial announcement is due the week beginning 17th September 2007.  We look forward to bringing you more news on these exciting developments in a few weeks...

Joanna Woolf CEO.

Apprenticeship sets the standards
Cogent has finalised its over-arching framework which will set the standard for our industries and contains a balance of generic and industry specific skills.

Our Future: it’s in our hands
“Our future. It's in our hands” is the Learning and Skills Council's (LSC) most ambitious communications campaign ever.

SQS will deliver skills vision
Cogent has completed its comprehensive review of qualifications and learning provision across the six industries and the four nations of the UK.

New platform for 21st century learning
Following an “Invitation to Tender” to eight companies for the Cogent Passport/Upskill IT platform Cogent is now progressing to a formal contract with a selected vendor, from a shortlist of three.

Scotland’s stakeholders come together in Falkirk
Falkirk East MSP Cathy Peattie, joined Cogent and Skills Academy representatives at an event aimed at explaining Cogent’s “Big Ticket” projects and the forthcoming academies.

Composites programme gets set to launch
The South East of England Development Agency (SEEDA) is funding a new and important composites training programme that meets the needs of the industry.

Robinson Plastic Packaging takes top award
Cogent member Robinson Plastic Packaging took the prize in the Health and Safety category of the 2007 Plastic Industry Awards

Train to Gain gets going in the Midlands
Members of Cogent’s East Midlands Employer Network have already registered approaching 300 employees onto the Learning and Skills Council’s Train to Gain programme.

BPF and Cogent join forces on skills
Cogent and the British Plastics Federation (BPF) have formally joined each other’s organisation as members to forge a collaborative approach to boosting workforce skills in the polymer industry.

Get a voice through Cogent membership
Cogent has launched its membership scheme to small and medium-sized companies in the chemicals, pharmaceuticals and polymers companies.

Cogent Annual Report now available
The report outlines a number of Cogent's achievements