Employer Investment Fund to support ambitious skills programmes

Employer Investment Fund to support ambitious skills programmes

Cogent, the Sector Skills Council that covers the UK Polymer Industry, has today announced the launch of a series of UK-wide employer-led and owned skills programmes co-funded by the second round of the Employer Investment Fund (EIF), which is managed by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES). 

Tom Crotty, Director of Ineos, and Chair of Cogent’s Board said: "This is really great news for employers across the process, life sciences and nuclear industries. Their leadership has been central to securing funding for these successful bids which are centred around what employers want.

Cogent CEO, Joanna Woolf added: "The allocation of funding under EIF will see us achieve real traction with employers in the science-using sector. The employers in turn will feel more "ownership” for these initiatives and the solutions they themselves have designed.

"The projects will build further momentum from employers from the very large to the very small and will lead to higher skill levels across the Sector, as well as ensuring those skills are applied in the workplace, based on the very highest of standards.”

Full Cogent Press Release

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The successful EIF2 programmes:

Nuclear Life Cycle Skills – supporting a skilled nuclear renaissance
This programme will deliver a dynamic workforce model for the UK’s nuclear workforce, providing the clear granular labour market information to enable forward planning and capacity building by providers and employers alike. Knowing the skills required is a fundamental ingredient to successful delivery. The existing Nuclear Industry Training Framework will be extended to embrace the nuclear supply chain, capturing the nuclear relevant training and qualifications to be recorded on the Nuclear Skills Passport managed by the National Skills Academy Nuclear. These programmes will support the UK’s Nuclear Industry ambitions both within the UK and to allow it to compete in the global civil nuclear market.

Upskilling the Process Industries – Gold Standard
To establish the employer-led Gold Standard competency framework as the Process Industry standard for skills and to expand into areas such as formulation, water treatment, explosives and industrial biotechnology. Through 3 strands:

• Expanding Gold Standards coverage into new sectors
• Developing products for new sectors
• Developing products for existing sectors

The National Skills Academy Process Industries, Cogent’s delivery arm, helps employers assess workforce capability against the Gold Standard, to identify skills gaps and opportunities for performance improvement.

Mobilising Life Sciences Skills for Growth – A Skills Gateway
Through this strand Cogent and partners will sustain the skills community and infrastructure to support home-grown talent to be the best it can be. The strand is also aimed at increasing the UK value proposition internationally by growing a skilled life sciences workforce. Cogent will undertake more detailed research to better understand the needs of this growing and developing sector and produce a BioHorizons series of labour market reports, as well as working with employers to develop employer led skills solutions to drive the life sciences economy forwards. Central to this strand is a Window on the World for life sciences which will be delivered through an interactive web portal.