Member Article

North East employers urged to upskill

A senior UK industrialist has urged North East employers to ‘take control’ of the skills crisis.

Tom Crotty, Chief Executive of INEOS Olefins and Polymers, the world’s third largest chemical company, outlined the steps he feels businesses need to take to tackle the problems of a workforce in which 40% of people are aged 45 and over.

Speaking at a recent skills summit organised by the National Skills Academy Process Industries, he spoke about the issues resulting from a lack of young people coming into the industry to replace those approaching retirement, plus other key skills shortages in the staff and contractor base.

Tom Crotty said: “It is vital that we continue to train our workforce despite the current economic pressures.

“As employers, we need to take an active lead in ensuring we manage the skills agenda. Collectively we have an ageing workforce and a real slowdown of young people entering the industries, which is already making itself felt, particularly through the contractor base.”

He was addressing hundreds of process industry leaders and training providers at the Skills Academy’s inaugural skills conference in York.

At the conference Kevin Thrower, Regional Skills Manager for the North East, said: “There has been a great turnout of employers and training providers today, but we need more employers to join our North East board to help shape the future of our industry.

“These are not just talking shops - they have real budgetary responsibility and influence over how we create a world-class workforce that will put us in a good place for the economic recovery.

“We would particularly encourage SMEs to get involved as they have an invaluable role to play and employ the lion’s share of the sector workforce.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .