Home > News > February 2006 > 24-Feb-2006

Minister to launch manufacturing skills initiative in Wales

Jane Davidson, minister for education and lifelong learning at the Welsh Assembly Government, will officially launch Proskills, the Sector Skills Council for the process and manufacturing industries, at an event to be held at the Rhondda Heritage Park on March 15.

Proskills aims to work with employers in extractives and mineral processing, printing, coatings, building products and glass and glazing to drive and direct the provision of skills training for their sectors.

Proskills has appointed a National Manager for Wales, Andy Bradburn, who is working closely with ELWA as well as being involved in developing the Welsh Nation Skill Report.

Rachel Volpé, financial director of Cranfield Colours Printing Ink, Cwmbran, said: "The printing ink trade, like many others is suffering from an obvious shortage of skilled staff.

"This is due in part to consolidation within the industry requiring fewer employees, but as numbers fall a vicious circle sets in. With fewer staff working in increasingly automated and efficient factories such as our own, individual companies no longer reach 'critical mass' to organise, monitor or audit the in depth training enjoyed some years ago.

"It is our hope that Proskills, combining the shared experiences of similar industries, will help us raise the quality and breadth of the training we provide, for the benefit of individual staff, their employers and the industry as a whole".

External link

Proskills

Training Reference is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites.

Training and development books

Discover books on a variety of training and development topics at the Training Reference Bookshop

Source suppliers

Visit the Training Reference Directory to view supplier details for a wide range of courses, products and services.

Sponsored links

Back to top