A group of industries that employs more than 48,000 people in the South East is set for a boost following the National Skills Academy Process Industries’ decision to set up a new base in the region.
The £67bn turnover process industries cover the chemicals, polymers and pharmaceutical sectors, and help to produce many of the essentials for day-to-day living.
The skills academy is part of the National Skills Academy network, which was created by the government in 2006 to put employers in charge of shaping the future skills framework and creating their own world-class workforce.
The new base joins four other regional centres in acting as a centre for process industries skills issues. It aims to bridge the gap between employers and training providers to help tackle key skills shortages.
In the South East, the skills academy’s experts will help employers to identify skills gaps, work with training providers to verify existing skills and training, and create new development programmes. It will also seek to attract funding from Train to Gain and other sources.
New regional skills manager Lucy Stirland will head the South East region. Formerly regional business manager for Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, she has spent 18 years in the process industries, in a range of senior sales, training and management roles.
Stirland said: ‘We face a very real skills shortage throughout the process industries which, if not addressed, will hamper progress and see us left behind on the world stage.
‘In the current economic climate it’s more important than ever that we are well placed for the upturn and having a highly skilled workforce will play a key part in that.’
She added that by working alongside employers, providers and supporting bodies, the South East base would be helping employers influence direction, raise standards and drive change through their industries.
‘This is the biggest step change for a decade and we are keen to encourage employers to come forward and get involved, particularly by joining the regional board that will direct our activities here in the South East,’ she said.
‘Nationally, we are already working with employers to set the new Gold Standard for process industries training and have secured the support of businesses of all sizes and representing more than 75,000 staff.’
The official launch of the South East base will take place early this year.