News
Scottish Survey of Adult Literacies
The Scottish Government has published the findings of the Scottish Survey of Adult Literacies (SSAL) 2009
Proskills secures funding for print qualifications
Proskills UK is pleased to confirm that OFQUAL have re-accredited print qualifications
Cafe Culture Movement
Skills Minister John Hayes today called on all UK businesses to promote informal learning at work, following pledges from sixty-four innovative companies to increase informal workplace training for their staff.
Twin with a local school & invest in your future workforce
This autumn, Proskills is launching 4 new Schools into Industry Programmes to introduce schools and students to the extractives, building products, glass, furniture making and glazed ceramics industries and this is your chance to benefit from working with a local school.
Smurfit Kappa offer vocational placements
With unemployment on the increase over the past couple of years and many people desperate for work during the economic downturn, it has become increasingly difficult for recent school-leavers and graduates to find work and each year the competition grows.
Employers can benefit from £3.7m worth of funding
Companies must respond by 27th August 2010 – extended deadline
JOINT INVESTMENT PROGRAMME
Lean times ahead for skills funding from Government, but Proskills close to winning the lions share for Process Manufacturing
Pan Sector H&S
In 2009 Proskills took the lead for the Skills for Business Network (SfBN) in the pan sector generic Health and Safety (H&S) project. This followed on from work that had been undertaken in 2007.
Help for furnishing industry students
New scheme of bursaries and scholarships for furnishing industry students
Funding available towards Scottish employees developing new skills
Small Scottish businesses have the opportunity to apply for up to 50% of their employee training costs
Dudson win Education Award
Ceramics company Dudson win Employer Engagement Award 2009-2010
Woodworking student wins Vocational Learner of the Year Award
Gary Ramsden from Warwickshire College was named VQ Learner of the Year 2010
Anyone can turn their lives around and learn new skills
Unemployment figures are still high…..
TTF CEO comments on Proskills
John White attended the latest meeting of the Proskills Wood Industry Board
Funding Update for Qualifications
Summary of the main changes to the current funding and qualification structures
Glass introduces new qualifications under QCF
The new qualification structure for the Glass and Related Industries is currently being rolled out and here are the new pathways.
Women in furnishing awards - the winners
Tean Dallaway, the group finance director instrumental in reversing the fortunes of the Airsprung Furniture Group, has been named ‘Businesswoman of The Year’ in the first ever Women In Furnishing Awards.
Fundable qualifications update - 25 June 2010
Proskills is pleased to inform you that we have successfully challenged the withdrawal of funding for the following qualifications …
Emergency Budget Review
no direct indication of how cuts will affect the skills system or public support for employer training
Letter to Dr Vince Cable MP
Proskills letter to Dr Vince Cable MP regarding investment in skills and the Joint Investment Programme.
Government should invest in skills training
Proskills calls for Government to invest in skills training and development
5,000 New Modern Apprenticeships
An extra 5,000 apprenticeship places have been created in Scotland
ICT entry level classes to anyone in Northern Ireland
DEL as part of their Essential Skills provision, will provide free ICT entry level classes to anyone in Northern Ireland from the 1st August 2010.
DEL funded LEAN Management training course
Lean Management is a high impact programme which challenges businesses to view their organisations differently.
34 Pilkington employees in Scotland presented NVQ Glass Processing L2 Certificates
On the 7th May at Pilkington in Cumbernauld Scotland, the Vocational College presented NVQ Glass Processing Level 2 Certificates to 34 Pilkington employees.
Winner of PrintIT! Awards
The annual PrintIT! Awards, has taken place at Ipex attracting a host of industry figures and finalist schools. The event celebrated the hard work and achievements of the thousands of students who took part in this year’s PrintIT! competition.
Proskills welcomes new Government
But warns the coalition that skills investment in Manufacturing needs to be protected
Subsidised Leadership & Management Training
Businesses and Individuals who have been affected by the recession could be eligible for a subsidy on training costs of 80%.
Health and Safety
Proskills SSC was contracted by the HSE to deliver a number of pilot programmes encouraging collaborative working between line managers and representatives for employee safety/safety representatives.
Last month to enter Proskills Awards
May is the last month in which you can still enter the Proskills Awards for 2010.
Auto windscreen business benefits after training
The training and qualification success and investment that Auto Windscreens has made has lead to business benefits.
Dudson Apprentice
Traditional skills are likely to be lost unless we can transfer their knowledge and skills
Train The Trainer
The Train the Trainer project has been established to develop a network of accredited in-house trainers
Funding Projects
The Sectoral Development Branch of DELNI encourages the Sector Skills Councils and other relevant organisations in Northern Ireland to positively impact on their sector by providing support to them to undertake specific projects that meet the skills needs of their particular sector
Absolute Training Solution success story
New Liverpool based training provider Absolute Training Solutions Ltd are celebrating their first NVQ achievements within the glass sector.
Case studies make national press
This month, we secured an article in The Sun on the 4th March following a push on our apprenticeship case studies.
Proskills announces Union learning rep awards
Proskills 2010 awards have expanded their categories and this year there will be an award for Union Learning Representative of the Year.
National Strategic Skills Audit
The first National Strategic Skills Audit was published yesterday (17th March) by UKCES
Proskills responds to concerns over PrintIT!
Proskills responds to industry concerns over the future of PrintIT!
Action Learning and PLATO in SE
The Leadership Academy, a project funded by HEFCE and SEEDA aims to provide support to business leaders during the recession.
We have funding to facilitate 10 Action Learning Sets for anybody involved in an organisation at managerial level or above, and based within the South East.
Management and Leadership information
A successful business requires good management and leadership. A good manager will use clear processes and rational methods to maximise the output of the organization; good leaders will use passion and emotion to inspire the workforce.
Proskills Restructure
Like all the employers in our sector, the recession has had a significant impact on income at Proskills, and this has forced us to re-structure the organisation which will unfortunately lead to several redundancies.
Johnson Tiles In-House Scheme
Johnson Tiles are the UK’s leading manufacturer and importer of ceramic wall and floor tiles. They have over 100 years of experience which reflects in their design, quality and the environmental measures.
The Furniture Industry Is Not Dying
Recent press following the unfortunate collapse of HJ Berry & Sons has falsely asserted that the furniture industry in the UK is dying.
Manufacturing shows fastest growth
Statistics reported that Manufacturing shows fastest growth for 15 years’ is great news for the sector.The boost in sales and the rise in employment is a positive start to 2010, but this is just the beginning.
Paper Manufacturing Standards
Proskills are currently developing National Occupational Standards for Paper Manufacturing. National Occupational Standards define what an individual needs to do, know, and understand in order to carry out a particular job.
North East Manufacturing Boss Champions New Diploma
The owner of a company which manufactures heavy building materials in the north-east has declared his support for a new qualification which prepares teenagers for the world of work.
PrintIT! Scotland
The Scottish Government has welcomed a major industry-backed vocational initiative, PrintIT! The Scottish Government has welcomed a major industry-backed vocational initiative aimed at encouraging students to consider a future career in print while supporting teachers in their delivery of the Standard Grade Graphic Communication Course.
Apprenticeships - An Employers Perspective
Wirral Partnership Homes (WPH) are one of the largest employers of construction apprentices in the Wirral area and currently employ a total of 20 construction apprentices. In the past 5 years, WPH’s apprentice section has received 25 awards.
Employees can request time to train
From April 2010, employees in businesses who employ 250 or more people will have the right to request time to train. Only employees who have worked for you for 26 weeks will be eligible to make a request under the new right. The right will be extended to cover employees in businesses of all sizes in April 2011.
Ceramics Cluster area awards finalists
The North Staffordshire ceramics cluster has been successful in their application to the Central Government’s Cluster Mark competition, and is one of the cluster finalists to be put forward for the National Awards.
DigIT! To BuildIT!
Our latest Students and Schools into Industry Programme, DigIT! to BuildIT!, is now live with its own website and as of this month is being launched to schools across England.
Manufacturing is a diverse sector, and is not homogeneous
Manufacturing as a sector is still suffering from the negative effects of the recession, and 2009 was the worst year in decades; all industries were hit hard.
Yet, manufacturing is a diverse sector, and is not as homogeneous as it is frequently portrayed; the problems and successes faced by different sub-sectors vary significantly.
Learning Bites
A new suite of modular vocational qualifications will be available for the Glass and Related Industries from January 2010.
Proskills on the Pre-Budget Report
The government’s pre-budget report was released yesterday (9th December) and Proskills welcomes the continuing commitment to improving the skills of the UK workforce.
Boss champions new Diploma
The owner of a company which manufactures heavy building materials in the north-east has declared his support for a new qualification which prepares teenagers for the world of work.
Paper Industry, Qualification Reform Group seeks new members
The QRG has been an influential group in shaping the qualification framework of the Paper industry. However, in order to ensure that this work and any future developments the QRG make are truly reflective of the whole industry’s needs, the group must provide the opportunity for greater employer involvement and representation of the Paper industry.
Great leaders and managers are 'Made not Born'
The Department for Employment and Learning have recently launched the “Made not Born” campaign to promote Leadership and Management Skills Development across Northern Ireland.
Do you know what impact training has on your business?
Proskills Academy Products and Services have developed a customer survey to establish the demand for the development of a Return in Investment Tool.
Scottish Print Apprentice in the MA award finals
The finalists for the 2009 Scottish Modern Apprenticeship Awards have been announced…
Achiever of the Year
As special mark of recognition and admiration, the Achiever of the Year is awarded to the candidate who the judges felt displayed true grit and determination in working towards learning goals, and has gone the extra mile to overcome adversity to get where they are today.
Apprentice of the Year
Gary Parton, a Mechanical Engineer from Ibstock Brick, Newcastle under Lyme was named ‘Apprentice of the Year’.
Advanced Apprentice of the Year
The top honour of the evening went to Paul Harvey, a Glazier from Wirral Partnership Homes, Birkenhead, who was presented with the ‘Advanced Apprentice of the Year’ award sponsored by GQA.
Apprenticeship Awards Winners Announced
In its third year, the Proskills Apprenticeship awards celebrate a high calibre of entries from across the UK. The three award categories, Advanced Apprentice of the Year, Apprentice of the Year and Achiever of the Year, acknowledge and celebrate apprentice’s commitment to their work, development and to the outstanding contribution that they have made to their workplace.
A Step Forward but Still Room for Improvement
Following the recent publication of the Government’s Skills Strategy, Terry Watts, Chief Executive of Proskills UK, welcomed the enhanced role for SSCs but is concerned that the new skills strategy is not doing enough for industry and the existing workforce.
New Diploma in Manufacturing and Product Design website launched
The new Diploma in Manufacturing and Product Design (MPD) website tailored to meet the needs of schools and colleges, employers and students has been launched to tie in with the start of the Diploma in Manufacturing and Product Design itself.
Delivering Skills That Work for Wales
Skills That Work for Wales’; a Skills and Employment Strategy and Action Plan is building on the One Wales Manifesto commitment to reform funding arrangements for schools and further education by establishing a more demand-led and responsive skills system.
New occupational health initiative in Scotland
Launch of a new occupational health initiative for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Scotland includes a free toolkit on common health risks and how to manage them was launched on 4 Sept 2009 in Scotland.
Peter Davys honoured
Peter Davys, managing partner of Orrest Business Solutions and a well known figurehead in the UK chemical industry has been recognised by Len Jennings, outgoing President of the Oil & Colour Chemists Association (OCCA), with the awarding of the President’s Medal for his contribution to the association and the coatings industry in general.
Functional Skills Support Programme for schools and training centres
The Functional Skills Support Programme (FSSP) is designed to prepare practitioners, leaders and managers to deliver functional skills, from developing applied learning to adopting a whole-organisational approach to functional skills implementation.
New learning theme on the Green Skills Agenda
You are invited to participate in a new Learning Theme which is just starting on the topical subject of the green skills agenda.
Wage compensation for employers with less than 50 employees
Companies that have less than 50 employees potentially are still entitled to claim Wage Compensation through the Skills Brokers whilst any learners are on a programme. This could be used to compensate them for any time lost whilst on first level 2 NVQ or level 3 jumpers.
Funding for Glass Modern Apprenticeships from Skills Development Scotland
Proskills in Scotland has been working with Glass Industry Training Providers to source funding for Glass Modern Apprenticeships from Skills Development Scotland. Proskills is pleased to announce that Independent Windscreens have received funding for 109 Apprentices and RT Resources have funding for 50 Apprentices to be delivered by March 2010.
Have your say in the development of the Advanced level Diploma in Science
The Advanced level Diploma in Science is the most significant development in science education in many years and will begin teaching in September 2012
Train the trainer course in Portadown
Proskills is to fund the Train the trainer course in Portadown which is open to all sectors.
HSE in partnership with Proskills are trialling a free, new health and safety training course
To help organisations realise the many benefits associated with good workforce involvement, such as lower accident rates, HSE in partnership with Proskills, are providing a free, new health and safety training course.
Medallion of Excellence for Cabinet Maker and Stonemason
Oliver Clack, 21, a stonemason and Luke Griffiths, 22, a cabinet maker both from Chichester have won a medallion of excellence at the largest skills based competition in the world.
Proskills & The QRG achieve approval for a new Paper Apprenticeship Framework
Proskills, the Sector Skills Council for the Process & Manufacturing sector and the newly formed Qualifications Reform Group (QRG), an industry group represented by employers and training providers, have developed and met requirements for approval of a Paper Apprenticeship framework.
ApprenticeshipsNI / Training for Success
It is widely agreed that a properly trained labour force is fundamental to a thriving economy. Through the delivery of well structured and tailored training, Northern Ireland can realise a truly skilled workforce.
New Foundation Degree for the Furniture Industry now available in Northern Ireland
South West College in Northern Ireland have added a new product to their existing portfolio. A new Foundation Degree has been developed for employees in the Furniture, Furnishings and Interiors industry, which is now being delivered by South West College.
Improved access to to training in the Manufacturing Sector for all employers
Proskills, the SSC for the Process & manufacturing sector, has joined forces with four other sector skills councils, Cogent, Improve Ltd, Semta and Skillfast-UK, as The Manufacturing Skills Alliance (MSA) in what is to be a unified approach in simplifying the processes in which manufacturing employers can address skills shortages and access the right support and training.
BFC secures credit insurance victory
The Government’s trade credit insurance top-up scheme will now be backdated…
Glass Apprenticeship Approval
Neil Robinson is thrilled to announce that thanks to GQA and Proskills there will be funding in excess of £2M…
Plea to the Print and Paper Industries
Richard Moore makes a plea to the Paper and Print industries to help Proskills in shaping the skills and training within the industries…
Plea to the Glass Industry
Neil Robinson asks employers in the Glass and Related Industries to help Proskills by joining forces to shape training in the industry…
Future of training in the Furniture Industry
Proskills asks the Furniture, Furnishings and Interiors Industry to make a difference in the future of skills training…
SERAQ achieve TQS Part B
SERAC are the first training providers in the Extractive and Mineral Processing industry to achieve the Training Quality Standard Part B…
Plea to the Glazed Ceramics Industry
Proskills makes a plea to employers to get involved in the future of skills training in the glazed ceramics industry…
Proskills spearheads MSA plan
Proskills joins forces with four other SSC’s to improve access to skills training in the manufacturing sector…
Adopt an apprentice
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Proskills Welsh Language Scheme Approved by the Welsh Language Board
Proskills is pleased to announce that on the 13th of May the Welsh Language Board formally approved the Proskills Welsh Language Scheme.