Training barriers can be overcome

?At PPMA 2012, Process Engineering is hosting a debate titled Barriers to training & achievement. In advance of this event, Dr Ian Mains, business development director of the National Skills Academy Process Industries, gives his thoughts on the subject:

A skilled and motivated workforce is a pre-requisite for success in the process industries, so any barriers to securing this position can, and will have serious consequences for the sector.

The current global recession has not helped, with employers focusing on maintaining business and margins together with improving processes, which inevitably has led to a reduced priority for training and development at many sites.

Availability of skilled personnel plays a significant role in influencing future investments in the UK by employers, many of whose parent organisations are headquartered outside the UK.

The compound effect of these various elements, presents a serious threat to the sector, not only in terms of human resources but directly on the bottom line.

?There are barriers to training and achievement in the process industries, but they are not insurmountable

To add to these problems, UK industry faces difficulty in attracting young people to study STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects, and take up careers in the sector, to offset against a workforce with an average age of 55.

So what are the barriers to investment in training and development? Employers continue to list the following reasons:
- Pressure to increase productivity limiting time to focus on training.
- Time away from the job, particularly for shift operations,
- Mismatch between training offered by providers versus employer needs,
- The skills ‘maze’ and belief that there is no longer financial support from UK Government.

On the other hand, many employers in the UK process industries are overcoming these barriers through investment in training and development - in part, because they see this as essential preparation for the economic up-turn whenever it arrives.

Together with Cogent Sector Skills Council, the National Skills Academy for the Process Industries works with employers to help them understand their specific training requirements and develop skills strategies.

The Academy’s role includes evaluating skills levels and shortages and recommending training provision through a network of accredited training providers across the UK and identify funding sources.

A current example of how the Academy is helping support the sector’s skills needs can be seen in the rapid increase in demand for its process safety training programmes for senior executives and managers.

Competence has always been essential to safe operation in the process industries. The benefits of investing in a competent workforce, such as increased productivity and improved resource efficiency, are, therefore, generally well understood.

However, the introduction of a competency management system inspection regime in the UK this April has added another dimension for sites falling under the COMAH regulations.

The Academy’s competence assurance system has been mapped against the HSE’s competency guidelines and human factors guidelines. It can help ensure that employees have the necessary level of competence to drive up business performance in a safe and compliant manner.

In conclusion, there are barriers to training and achievement in the UK process industries, but, as many companies are showing, these are not insurmountable.