The Cogent Research team links valuable feedback from employer consultations and actively sources national research work undertaken by Government and other Agencies to develop real Labour Market Information and Intelligence for the sector. 

Sector Skills Agreements

Sector Skills Agreements are being produced for every sector which is supported by a Sector Skills Council.The aim of these agreements is to secure for each sector the range and level of skills necessary to achieve productivity at internationally competitive levels. Over 2005/06 Cogent has been undertaking the Sector Skills Agreement development process which has involved significant research activity.

In partnership with employers, the Government and others, Cogent will use the Sector Skills Agreement as a framework for delivery of the skilled workforce which employers in the sector want.The Agreement will:

·lead to better planned and more integrated delivery of skills training;

·help to produce credible, cost effective, quality assured and better-tailored training provision;

·help to target public funding more efficiently;

·encourage employers to invest more in developing their workforce.

Underpinning the Sector Skills Agreement the Cogent Research and Policy Team has undertaken extensive primary and secondary research across the UK.A series of research reports have been produced as an output from this process which provides a useful resource and base of information for the sector.The full series of publications can be viewed on the Sector Skills Agreement web pages.

Sector wide reports published as an outcome of Sector Skills Agreement work are below:

>> A Sector Skills Agreement for Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals, Nuclear, Oil & Gas, Petroleum, Polymers Industries in Scotland.  This is a consultation report on the final Sector Skills Agreement report for Scotland

>> A Sector Skills Agreement for the Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals, Nuclear, Oil & Gas, Petroleum and Polymers Industries in Wales.This is a consultation report on the final Sector Skills Agreement report for Wales.

>> Skill Needs Assessment of the Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals, Nuclear, Oil and Gas, Petroleum and Polymers Industries produced by Cogent SSC reporting on drivers of change, factors influencing productivity, current and future skills demand – Revised May 2006

The actions arising from the Sector Skills Agreement process will be underpinned by further topic specific research.In addition further research needs highlighted by the SSA process form priorities for future research activities.A phase of regional research will be undertaken by Cogent to enable more robust analysis of skills, employment and training issues on an industry by industry basis at a regional level.