17 April 2009: One of the UK’s most senior industrialists is urging forward-thinking employers and training providers to attend a process industries skills summit to discuss ways they can avert the impending skills crisis.
Tom Crotty, Chief Executive of INEOS Olefins and Polymers—a division of the world’s third largest chemical company, is the keynote speaker at the National Skills Academy Process Industries inaugural skills conference.
The conference will see leaders in the pharmaceuticals, polymers and chemicals industries descend on York Racecourse to discuss the future of the crucial sector, which turns over £126,000 a minute.
The process industries contribute £22.7bn a year to the UK economy and with 40% of its workforce aged 45 and over, it is a ticking time bomb unless it attracts new people into the sector and upskills those already employed.
This skills crisis will be at the heart of the conference’s agenda, which is being hosted in York on April 30th.
Mr Crotty said:
“At this time of severe pressure across all UK manufacturing industry, the importance of having a highly skilled workforce is even more critical.
“I see the skills academy for the process industries at the heart of ensuring success for our industry.
“This conference is a great opportunity for employers and training providers to come together and ensure that we are all working to a common set of objectives in delivering this critical agenda.”
The one day conference, which is being launched in partnership with Sector Skills Council Cogent, is being billed as the must attend’ event for the process industries, which employ almost half a million people.
The skills academy is working alongside UK training providers and employers to create a training and development framework designed to meet the urgent skills needs of the industries.
The conference programme features masterclass sessions, a Q&A session and six workshops covering a range of topics including:
Philip Jones, the skills academy’s Chief Executive, said:
“We are urging employers and training providers across the UK to step up and play their part in the biggest step change the process industries have ever seen, and which will have a dramatic impact on its future success.”
The conference takes place on 30th April 2009 in York. For more information visit the conference website at www.processnationalskillsconference.co.uk or telephone Nicky Wake on 01706 828855.