Minister launches National Skills Academy for the process industries

Lammy said: “I am delighted to officially announce the approval of the National Skills Academy Process Industries. I congratulate the Shadow Board of the NSA Process Industries, along with Cogent, the Sector Skills Council concerned and all the employers who are supporting the academy, both financially and in other ways, on getting to this point. “We also have something else to celebrate because the Directors of LINPAC have agreed to sign the Skills Pledge. This demonstrates the company's commitment to upskilling its employees and I think it is entirely appropriate that a company that is as committed to supporting a National Skills Academy as LINPAC clearly is, is also prepared to demonstrate publicly its commitment to employee development.” The Minister made the official announcement at LINPAC Plastics’ Featherstone Site in West Yorkshire. LINPAC supplies food packaging to the retail, catering and fast food service industries and has supported the Academy financially and through the leadership of Chris Horton, Board Director, LINPAC Plastics. Horton, who is chair of the Academy Board, said: “I am delighted that LINPAC is playing a key part in this important initiative and I am confident that together we will push our industry forward and encourage more and more people to develop their skills in the best possible way. “The National Skills Academy will enable us to lead the way in addressing the short-fall of employees in vital areas of the workforce. It means that the LINPAC Group will be able to recognise exactly where the skills gaps are in our industry and then develop our employees in those areas as well as attract and recruit newly accredited personnel to our business. “By recognising those skill gaps and introducing solutions to fill them, we at LINPAC can ensure that our business maintains its position at the forefront of innovation in the industry. It is essential to us to have the best people in the best positions with the best set of skills to do the job. The work of the National Skills Academy will help us to achieve those goals and will act as an ideal model for sharing knowledge and best practice throughout our industry.” The Academy will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Cogent, the Sector Skills Council for the chemicals, pharmaceuticals, nuclear, oil and gas, petroleum and polymer industries. It follows the successful announcement of a National Skills Academy for Nuclear, also led by Cogent.