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Skills

The Manufacturing Forum has focused on how the UK should best address significant skills gaps and develop a transparent and high quality system for raising skills levels in UK manufacturing to world-class levels. Key to improving skills provision has been recognition of the critical role that employers can play in developing a demand led system. The creation of the National Skills  Academy for Manufacturing is an important step in fulfilling that ambition.

National Skills Academy for Manufacturing (NSAM)

The aim of the NSAM is to create training and education programmes which will set national standards for delivery and help employers to meet the demands of global competition in terms of improved productivity, the capacity to innovate and leadership.

The Manufacturing Forum has played a significant role in developing the Academy from its initial stage of contracting KPMG to work with stakeholders to develop an Expression of Interest (EoI),  submitted in September 2005. The EI was co-signed by bodies representing the first four lead sectors (automotive, aerospace, electronics and marine) under the SEMTA banner. The EoI was submitted to the Department for Education and Skills for consideration by their independent panel and was successful in attracting funding from the Learning and Skills Council for business planning. A project team was set up under John Cushnaghan (former MD of Nissan UK) to deliver a business plan by June 2006 with a view to launching the NSAM in a few pilot regions by September 2006. Overseeing the work of the project team was a Policy Group chaired by Allan Cook, CEO of Cobham Group.

The National Manufacturing Skills Academy was launched by the Secretary of State at a ceremony on 25 January 2007.  NSAM appointed their MD in February (Bob Gibbon) and are actively recruiting their regional staff who are to be funded by the Regional Development Agencies.

The Academy will initially focus on delivering the Science Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies Alliance (SEMTA) Sector Skills Agreement, which focuses on developing the skills that underpin Management and Leadership, Productivity and Competitiveness and Technical Workforce Development.

Rather than offering a menu of qualifications, the Academy will provide programmes which use a range of methods to transfer knowledge and teach skills. These may include instructor-led training, technology-based training, on-the-job training, and self-study. Qualifications will be portable, and there will be a clear ladder of progression linked to the national qualification framework as shown in the diagram below.

Manufacturing Forum Secretariat key contact

Ben Collins