Regions and Nations

Central England

West Midlands: The Cogent sector in the West Midlands has a heavy concentration of polymer processing companies with a significant cluster of chemical businesses. Polymer employers are spread across the region but as a result of significant inward investment in the past 20 years, Telford in Shropshire has been dubbed “plastics valley” with well over 50 companies based there. Polymer businesses supply a large number of end user industries to include automotive components and food packaging products and are an important part of region’s manufacturing sector.

East Midlands: There is a concentration of Cogent industries in the East Midlands which is dominated by the Polymer industry. Recent studies have confirmed continued growth in the Polymers sector. The Cogent sector is a primary element of the supply chain for key regional sectors including high technology engineering and food and drink. The region has a concentration of plastics and rubber processing including packaging and extrusion molding companies. The region also has a significant concentration of chemical and pharmaceutical companies.

East of England: There are clusters of pharmaceuticals and bioscience companies in the Cambridgeshire area and a significant number of polymer companies across the region including composites. The East is a significant centre for the offshore oil and gas industry with approximately 2,100 jobs directly dependent and 10,000 jobs indirectly dependent upon the industry. Activity is focused around Norfolk – a major landfall site for North Sea Gas production. Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth provide the onshore support base for the Southern North Sea gas fields. There is a refinery and petrochemical facility in the region with numerous marketing operations. The nuclear industry employs people in Sizewell Power Station and Bradwell. Cogent also plays a strategic role in the East of England Manufacturing Alliance working with other Sector Skills Councils.

Economic indicators
Cogent Central Cogent UK
Turnover £18.7bn £156bn
Cogent GVA £6.4bn £49bn
Cogent GVA per employee £56,507 £98,394
Number of employees 113,800 500,00
Mean weekly pay** £463.00 £381.50

Source: Annual Business Inquiry 2005
*UK GVA average per employee £31,419
*Industry estimate of total Cogent employment 906,000
**Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2007

12% of turnover in the Cogent sector is generated in the Central region. The Central region contributes 13% of the sector GVA. The region employs 23% of the Cogent workforce.

Business size


Source: Annual Business Inquiry 2006

The Cogent sector in the Central region has a higher proportion of micro companies (68%) than the Cogent sector in the UK. Only 1% of companies in the region employ 200 or more staff.

The skills gap


Source: Labour Force Survey 2007

Key skills issues for the Cogent industries in Central England:

  • There is a 11% deficit of the workforce in the Central region qualified to Level 2
  • There is a 2% deficit of the workforce qualified to Level 3 compared to the percentage of jobs at the same level.
  • Technicians and operators are key roles in the region and these roles exist at levels 2 and 3.
Occupational profile


Source: Labour Force Survey 2007

The sector in the region employs a larger proportion of males than the Cogent sector in the UK. 75% of workers are male. The region also employs more part-time staff (2%) than the Cogent sector in the UK.

Workforce distribution


Source: Labour Force Survey 2007

The Central region has a larger proportion of Managers and Senior Officials, Skilled Trades, Process Operator and Elementary occupations than the UK Cogent sector. 27% of the Cogent workforce in the region is employed in Process operative roles.

Regional actions

Supported by LSC, Cogent has implemented Train to Gain projects, partnering the skills brokerage organisations that has resulted in several hundred employees in the sector undergoing NVQ Level 2 programmes.

A proportion of employees registered on Train to Gain, as part of the projects referred to above, is undergoing Level 3 programmes. These are principally aimed at management and technical qualifications.

In addition, a pilot programme, involving sector employer sponsorships has resulted in expansion of apprenticeship numbers in the region. All the apprenticeships incorporate NVQ Level 3 awards.

Promotion of the Foundation Degree in Polymer Technology in the region has resulted in expansion of sector employees registered on the Level 4 programme.