Teesside chemical makers back new apprenticeships scheme
15 Feb 2007
North East’s Batch Chemicals alliance to tackle skills shortages in the sector.
Darlington, UK – TTE Technical Training Group has formed an alliance with a group of North East chemical companies to tackle skills shortages in the sector, as part of the Batch Chemicals programme.
Five companies based at Seal Sands, near Billingham, and Seaton Carew are supporting the new programme, which has been developed by both the consortium of companies and TTE, to develop new talent for the chemical industry. The sponsors are: Degussa Seal Sands; Oxford Chemicals Ltd; Lundbeck Pharmaceuticals Ltd; Vertellus Specialities UK Ltd; and Victrex Manufacturing Ltd.
Six apprentices aged between 16 and 23 have been recruited from across the Tees Valley to undertake the three-year programme. They will spend 12 months at TTE’s training centre in South Bank gaining key qualifications towards their Apprenticeship Framework including an NVQ Level 2 in Chemical Pharmaceutical and Petrochemical Operations, C&G 0603 Process Technology Level 2, Key Skills Level 2 and the Chemical Process Operations Preliminary Certificate.
The apprentices will spend a further two years working on site for their sponsoring company to gain valuable practical experience and their NVQ Level 3 to complete the Apprenticeship Framework.
“This is a groundbreaking new training initiative driven by employers to meet the challenges facing our sector,” said Thomas McDonagh, human resources manager, Degussa Fine Organics. “Batch Chemicals has been designed to meet the requirements of the individual sponsoring companies. This will ensure that when apprentices complete their training they are ‘industry-ready’ and understand the ethics and culture of their employer.”
According to TTE, this is the first training initiative of its kind in the region and is expected to become one of the core components of TTE’s eight apprenticeship programmes. The sector, it noted, has been facing a skills migration in recent years, with experienced technicians taking up opportunities with North Sea oil and gas companies.
