Home > News > January 2007 > 23 January 2007

TUC's unionlearn signs up to Sector Skills Agreement

unionlearn, the TUC's learning and skills organisation has signed up to and endorsed Cogent's Sector Skills Agreement (SSA).

Cogent is the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for the chemicals and pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, nuclear, petroleum and polymer Industries.

This week's launch follows collaboration with Amicus, Prospect and the TGWU to develop the agreement, which sets out the key training and development interventions for the sector.

The agreement is based on a two-year investigation into skills gaps and shortages, aimed at identifying what training inputs are needed to tackle the skills crisis facing Cogent's industries.

Commenting on the agreement, Cogent CEO, Joanna Woolf, said: "The trades unions have a central role to play in the implementation of Cogent's Sector Skills Agreement and we share a number of vitally important skills objectives.

"We look forward to working with our sector's unions and their representatives on our Board in implementing this critical plan designed to enhance skills and boost productivity across our industries.

"The SSA is an unprecedented tool for getting employers committed to the drive for skills and will support all those who develop and fund education and training to work towards delivering skills around a common and agreed set of objectives. It represents a move away from a centrally planned, sometimes inflexible skills system to a demand-led network of training provision which meets real needs."

Frances O' Grady deputy secretary general of the TUC, attending the launch, said: "The Cogent SSA recognises that trade unions' experience in the areas of equality and diversity, health and safety, and workplace learning is extremely important.

"The depth of the Cogent Apprentices' programme will give young people, older people and those who have not traditionally thought about a career in this industry, the chance to learn and enter a profession. This is a real partnership that will deliver real change and allow those working in the sector to unlock their potential, and as we know that will lead to better opportunities, better pay and better morale."

Liz Smith, director of unionlearn, also attending the launch, added: "I am delighted that this agreement builds on the fantastic work that Union Learning Representatives and unions generally are doing to change attitudes to learning.

"Often a simple chat over a cup of tea will inspire people to think about learning again and businesses are definitely benefiting from providing quality training. ULRs will fully support the implementation of the Cogent SSA to support this aim."

Joanna Woolf added: "Skills gaps are one of the biggest challenges facing the Cogent industries. The UK will never match the low-labour costs of our fast emerging competitor economies. We must now compete on quality and innovation and that means improving our skills base. We have a number of key programmes in place to achieve this and it is now crucial that all parties work together to deliver them."

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