About

Foreword by John Beacham

I’m delighted to introduce Cogent’s Skills for Science Industries, Skills at Work report. It provides an up-to-date and far-reaching analysis of how the industries in the Cogent footprint are meeting the challenges they face through the skills and talents of their people.

The report moves us on from our Sector Skills Agreement research, and is designed to provide stimulating debate and the thought-leadership around the future of these key industries. Interviews with key players bring an added perspective to the facts and figures.

Cogent was established by industry to support it in securing the skills needed now and in the future. This state-of-the-nation report contributes to shaping our strategic priorities as a Sector Skills Council and shining a light on where both public and private investment in skills can bring the very best returns.

It is a forward-looking analysis, exploring the collective actions employers need to take if they are to continue to meet their challenges, and the kinds of skills they need to be nurturing now in order to create a firm foothold for the future. The strategic, science-based industries in the Cogent sector have been sustained over the last century and into this century by the people who work in them, run them and plan their future.

They have faced difficult issues and indeed crises — from health and safety disasters to the very toughest global competition, as well as highs and lows in public confidence.

But above all they’ve learned from everything that’s gone before and continuously developed new models of success. These are the industries that discover and develop new products for myriad supply-chains and make our world comfortable, convenient, clean, and safe.

So where are they now? Succeeding and surviving, but not nearly as productive as they could be; still struggling with skills gaps and shortages compounded by a lack of consistency in standards and a variety of approaches to the recruitment, training and development of their people. And the skills they need are in great demand by other technology-led sectors and indeed around the world.

We know all of this because we asked employers during our Sector Skills Agreement research activities. We have worked with employers to put the solutions in place and these are beginning to take hold across the UK. Our newly developing employer-led products and services are being deployed by our National Skills Academies, which are driving up standards in training through their close relationships with employers.

We can’t stand still, though, and we are now fine-tuning and expanding this work. In this report we present the concept of the “Skills Factory” — a stock and flow model of the workforce. We recognise that workforce planning is essential and we are committed to a continuous and iterative process with a regular, annual refreshing of the data. We are putting in place sound data collection processes and modelling techniques as well as working with our industries on scenario planning.

In this report we also put our industries individually under the spotlight. While they have a number of common skills requirements, they each face their own unique scenarios.

The nuclear industry needs finely-honed high-level vocational skills that meet its unique Suitably, Qualified, Experienced Personnel requirements (SQEP); the oil and gas industry has a sustained and challenging recruitment demand; the chemicals industry needs people who can support its continued transition to a higher-value added sector; the pharmaceuticals industry is grasping the challenge of the “Factory of the Future”; the downstream petroleum industry is as ever concerned with the very highest standards of competency, particularly in relation to the contractor workforce, and the polymers industry is getting to grips with efficiency, innovation and the ability to handle the environmental challenge.

The report also focuses on the young people who are not yet in employment. They are the feedstock of the future. The Government’s renewed focus on the 14-19 age group reflects the need to present all careers, but particularly those in science and technology, as attractive and accessible. This is also a key strategic priority for Cogent and its employers.

Finally, higher level skills continue to dominate the Cogent sector skills agenda. The high GVA industries in the Cogent footprint are skills intensive, and are dependent upon the UK science base for the supply of trained scientists and engineers. This means continued close interaction with Higher Education Institutions to stimulate new ideas and promote innovation. New employer-led Foundation Degrees will play a critical part in driving up these skills — both equipping new starts entering the workforce and upskilling existing staff who can build upon their experience.

Employers are clear that they require highly capable people at all levels in their organisations; technology-literate individuals who can operate much more flexibly and across existing skills boundaries.

Cogent is the essential partner in providing the tools its industries need to ensure they get these skills and to plan for their future needs. It is working closely with its employers to support them on their journey towards higher value through skills.

This important report tells a story. It shows where we have come from and how far we’ve got to go. It also tells us that while there are many employers who have seized this agenda with a sense of urgency, there are still many who have yet to do so.

Dr John Beacham, CBE

Chairman