Bosses look to lift training

May 12 2009 by Adrian Hogg, Evening Gazette

MORE than 100 bosses came together for the first annual meeting of the Darlington-based National Skills Academy for the Process Industry. SUE SCOTT reports

MUCH IS talked about the skills crisis in the process industry. The Academy charged with addressing the issue has demonstrated over its first year of existence that much more still needs to be done.

But the fact that some of the highest profile names in the UK sector were prepared to give up a day to address the issue in York was an encouraging sign that the industry was taking a lead in shaping the agenda “not just letting it happen” as Linpac’s Chris Horton, chair of NSAPI told colleagues in his opening address.

Sadly, the government’s commitment appeared less enthusiastic. Keynote speaker Lord Young, of the Department of Universities and Skills, pulled out at the very last minute, due to parliamentary business (aka the Gurkha vote), leaving David Way, deputy head of the National Apprentice Service, launched that week, to take the flak from the floor.

And on the subject of apprentices there was justifiable anger.

Wilton-based Sabic president Paul Booth, had sympathy for companies cowed by recession who terminated apprenticeships, increasingly leaving them with no prospect of completing their training. “Sadly, in recession, cash is king and we live or die by our cashflow,” he said. And although he backed calls for the government to intervene with money to preserve apprenticeships threatened by redundancy, he conceded : “This time round, I think it’s just in the ‘too difficult’ camp and the UK coffers are empty.”

That did not satisfy George Ritchie, vice president of human resources for Sembcorp on Teesside, who battered civil servant Mr Way with criticism of the government’s say-much, do-little record on apprentices since the downturn took hold.

Although Mr Way defended action taken so far - largely concentrated on the automotive and construction sectors, which have taken the hardest hits with 2,000 young people affected - he conceded privately: “It’s a tricky issue for us. At this time, it’s terribly difficult to ask employers to put their hands in their pocket, but we are talking about establishing a long-term relationship and the employer will get payback time and time again.”