Cogent: Recession-beating £50m training fund available to process sector

The Government and Cogent Sector Skills Council is making £50m available for employers in the national skills council’s vital science-using sector.

Through this £50m Training Fund, Cogent is focussing the support and funding available through Train to Gain to take action in tough economic times.

The ring-fenced fund is aimed at both the training of new entrants and apprentices and qualifying existing workers in the chemicals, polymers and pharmaceuticals sector. It is part of an offer which includes free advice, as well as fully-funded or low-cost training.

The offer is directed at the specific skills needs of the sector and a range of technical qualifications which embed skills for competitiveness within companies. Training in business improvement as well as management and leadership is also covered.

Cogent CEO Joanna Woolf said: “We know that many companies are feeling the pain: but a downturn can provide the opportunity to realise long-term gain. This fund supports an investment in people so that organisations are even stronger when times improve.”

Cogent is urging employers to build their talent pool through the fund and take advantage of the free advice that goes with it.

Training supports people in multi-tasking and taking on more responsibility, which in turn keeps the demand for new staff under check. In addition, training and development is motivating, supporting morale in difficult times.

Employers can obtain access to the fund through Cogent’s partner the National Skills Academy Process Industries which can help them to understand their business’s skills needs and direct them to the right solutions through Train to Gain and a network of high-quality training providers.

Phil Jones, CEO of the Skills Academy said: “This fund is supporting companies in making people development a part of their longer term strategic business plan.

“By proactively focusing on employee training and development through a custom designed action plan, employers can get new ideas and techniques into their organisation, delivering improved results and practices during these recessionary times.”

To find out more about the funding and advice on offer employers can email us on: traintogain@process.nsacademy.co.uk or phone us on 0845 607 0140

Train to Gain

Managed by the Learning and Skills Council, Train to Gain is the government’s flagship service to support employers in England, of all sizes and in all sectors, to improve the skills of their employees, unlock talent and drive improved business performance. A key element of Train to Gain are skills brokers who offers employers impartial advice and at no cost, helping them find the best training solution from high quality and responsive training.

To help ensure that the Train to Gain offer meets the needs of every sector, DIUS has developed ‘sector skills compacts’ with employers in key sectors of our economy which tailor the Train to Gain offer to their specific needs and circumstances. Compacts have already been agreed with Sector Skills Councils for 10 sectors, including Semta, ConstructionSkills, People 1st, Proskills and Skills for Justice, together worth some £440m over three years.

Train to Gain has supported over 570,000 learners to begin their learning programmes. Over 254,000 learners have achieved a full level 2 qualification. Over 16,000 learners have full level 3 achievements.

http://www.traintogain.gov.uk/

About Cogent

Cogent is the sector skills council for the chemicals, pharmaceuticals, nuclear, oil and gas, petroleum and polymer industries. It is the voice of employers in these sectors and is working with them to create a skills environment that businesses need to be innovative, competent, productive and sustainable.

Cogent’s objectives are:

To improve productivity and business performance through skills development
To reduce skills gaps and shortages
To increase opportunities to boost skills
To influence skills supply across the training and education spectrum from schools to Higher Education

Cogent currently represents the interests of more than 20,000 businesses employing around 900,000 people. Since its creation it has been building on existing partnerships at regional and national level to drive forward the skills agenda in its science-using footprint.

For more on what we offer go to: www.cogent-ssc.com

The National Skills Academy network

The National Skills Academy network is the new gold standard for industry training, aiming to improve productivity and tackle skills shortages across England. Each National Skills Academy puts employers at the heart of skills training for their sector: they influence the curriculum to ensure it reflects employers’ needs; get involved in the Academy’s management; set standards and influence strategic direction.

National Skills Academies aim to:

deliver high quality training for a specific sector
provide first-class teaching in a modern learning environment
be centres of innovation and creativity in skills development for their sector
be flexible, sustaining the closest possible relationships with employers of all sizes
build specialist networks with a range of other learning providers, so that new thinking, new methods and higher standards are shared, to the benefit of learners and employers.

The National Skills Academy network was initiated by the Government to address the need for a world class workforce with better skills than ever before.

http://www.process.nsacademy.co.uk/

For further information contact:

Judith Cowan on 01925 515 215
judith.cowan@cogent-ssc.com

Or Mervin Dadd on 01925 515 212
mervin.dadd@cogent.ssc.com