UK glass sector launches training academy

Dave Dalton, CEO of British Glass, the trade body delivering the initiative, said everything possible needed to be done to attract the best new talent and help the existing industry workforce to realise their potential. He continued: "The Glass Academy has been created to ensure we can compete internationally with a workforce that is world class." Taking an earn-while-you-learn approach, The Glass Academy offers 're-invigorated' apprenticeships, continuous professional development and career progression opportunities to every employee. The modular-style training will be delivered by e-learning, in classroom and at work, depending upon the type of study undertaken. It will also engage with young people to demonstrate that the vocational education pathway is a real alternative to university. As The Glass Academy is created and supported directly by the industry it is designed to serve, it delivers the opportunity to fulfil criteria identified by recent research from think-tank Policy Exchange and the recent Government orchestrated Richard Report by closely aligning the training to industry needs. The employer matched £2.75m initiative is funded from the £67m Government 'Employer Ownership of Skills Pilot'.