Funding available to help companies develop skilled workers
SEMTA, the sector skills council for the science, engineering and manufacturing technologies sector, has announced details of a new £65m partnership with government to deliver urgently required skills training for workers in these sectors.
Through SEMTA, companies can access grants of between £500 and £1,800 per employee depending on what qualifications and training is needed. Support will be geared mainly towards development of lean manufacturing skills to make small and medium sized companies more competitive.
A lack of skilled workers is costing the country around £700 million a year in lost productivity, according to recent SEMTA research.
The companies who should benefit most will be those with fewer than 250 employees who may struggle to determine how skills investment can improve their business. Semta advisors will help them identify where their business needs improved staff skills, set improvement targets and measure the impact. Unlike larger companies, they will also be eligible for grants to develop Management and Leadership.
The new agreement will allow participating employers in England to train through programmes including Train to Gain and Apprenticeships. In addition, existing workers, of all ages, will be able to learn new or more advanced skills, which will allow them to progress their careers and improve productivity and competitiveness.
Philip Whiteman, SEMTA's Chief Executive said: "Our partnership with government will deliver real economic benefits to science, engineering and manufacturing. To overcome significant skills gaps and make businesses more competitive, employers need access to funding for innovative programmes like Business Improvement Techniques. These not only up-skill workers in a sustainable way, they also put employees on the qualifications ladder and provide measurable bottom line profits from quality, cost and delivery."
SEMTA's trial activities have found significant benefits. For example Kettering based Cooney Marine which employs 70 people producing stainless steel parts and fittings for yacht building, trained staff in Business Improvement Techniques. This resulted in a 123% improvement in delivery and a 139% rise in valued added per person.
The £65m will be available from the Train to Gain budget; up to 30% of the budget for level 2 and level 3 learning will now be available to train employees who already hold GCSE or A-level equivalents but who need more specific, or more up-to-date, business qualifications.
Government investment in Train to Gain will rise to over £1 billion by 2010-11, supporting over 800,000 learners to improve their skills and gain new qualifications.
Employers who are interested in finding out more about the new funding can contact Joanne Thompson or Michelle Henderson of SEMTA on 01740 627000 or visit http://www.semta.org.uk
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