Business News
Competence and Skills Training in the Extractive and Mineral Processing Industry
Tuesday 15. September 2009 - Proskills, the Sector Skills Council for the Process & Manufacturing Sector, which includes the Extractives and Mineral Processing (E&MP) industries, is always seeking employers to join forces with them to help shape the future direction of skills provision and training for the E&MP industry.
Jonathan Ledger, the appointed Extractives and Mineral Processing Industry Lead at Proskills encourages employers to provide more of a representative input into how Proskills can assist employers in gaining the right training provision, offer the most appropriate industry-specific qualifications and guide businesses through the process of obtaining any available support funding.
“We need employers from the E&MP industry to understand that their input is critical to ensuring that their industry has the right skills and training provision going forward,” says Jonathan Ledger. “Employers are key to the development of skills training solutions and qualifications that fit with the needs of the industry.”
There are many ways to be involved; from the Industry Board to the Qualifications Reform Group; and even adhoc via qualifications development or industry research.
The E&MP Industry Board helps set the strategic direction for Proskills and plays a direct role in influencing skills development and training provision. Its membership of employer represents around 85% of the industry. Supported by representatives from employer bodies, trade associations and unions, the task of the Industry Board is to ensure that the objectives and solutions developed by Proskills and the National Skills Academy for Materials, Production & Supply (MPS-Academy), the new skills delivery arm of Proskills, remain fully aligned to the needs of the industry.
The role of the Standards and Qualifications Reform Group is to develop and review new and existing standards and qualifications to meet the increasing demands of business, and as such, play a key role in ensuring the right training provision is in place to support investment in skills.
Jonathan Ledger added, “Too often, we hear the criticism that the current governments skills and funding system doesnt deliver against the needs of the E&MP industry. To create a system that works for all, we need more employers to get involved.”