Call for process employers to shape new foundation degrees

Newcastle, UK – Employers in the process industries are being urged to shape the new Working Higher Foundation Degree – an initiative intended to provide more flexible, work-based routes to workforce development. The scheme is being led by six nominated industry champions, who have been appointed to bridge gaps between academia and business.

Five new Foundation Degrees are being developed, one each for the nuclear, chemicals, refinery and petrochemicals, polymers, and bioscience and pharmaceutical industries. The aim is to build on existing good practice in delivering fit-fo- purpose education, training and development for those already working in the sector. 

This £2.9-million initiative is funded by the Higher Education Funding Council and is a collaborative project between Cogent Sector Skills Council, the Higher Education Academy UK Physical Sciences Centre, the University of Hull, and SEMTA – the Sector Skills Council for science, engineering and manufacturing technologies. 

For example, components of the Foundation Degrees will focus on accrediting in-house training and education, capturing existing sector valued external training and education, maximising the use of the workplace as a learning environment, and focusing new development specifically on gaps that cannot currently be met.

The universities chosen to deliver Working Higher, under the leadership of the University of Hull, are:  University of Kent (Bioscience), Manchester Metropolitan University (Chemicals), University of Central Lancashire (Nuclear), London Metropolitan University (Polymers), and University of Hull (Refining and Petrochemical Engineering.)

Each industry champion is working alongside a partner university to develop the course content and delivery mechanism for their particular sector, with the intention that some of the content for the degrees will eventually be made available to other universities around the country. 

“The response so far has been positive, but we need more employers to work with us so that the new Foundation Degrees are a true representation of what the industry needs,” said Gareth James, one of the six new industry champions. 

James’ experience spans a 30-year career in senior operations roles at BP.  He is also a former Cogent board member and previous chair of Humber Chemical Focus, and his expertise will be brought to bear in working alongside employers in the refining and petrochemicals sector.   

“Current higher education provision is predominantly aimed at full-time study, with few work-based routes for those already in work to gain or enhance their skills.  By working as a consortium with other sector partners, we seek to ensure that these new work-based degrees reflect the needs of employers and employees. 

“Learning should be a lifelong process and this needs to be reflected in the variety of routes offered for work-based learners.  There should be opportunities to take single, bite-sized modules that meet specific knowledge and skills needs for the business, that meet professional and regulatory requirements where appropriate, and that can provide accessible higher level qualification for the individual as part of that person’s continued professional development.

According to James, the goal is to ensure flexible delivery through methods that reflect the needs of both the business and the employee.  The programme, he said, will be developed to be delivered in a variety of modes that form a blended learning route, which could incorporate on-site delivery, block release, distance learning and accreditation of in-house training.  All of these will help employers to upskill their workforce while balancing operational needs. 

“What we need now are more employers to step up and work with us to develop the qualifications that will underpin a world class workforce for the process industries.  The Working Higher initiative offers dedicated resources to get this right for the sector and a real opportunity to be part of an innovative approach to meeting the wider workforce needs now and for the future. ”