Semta to lead skills drive as part of new Marine Industries Growth Strategy
23/09/2011 Enginuity
- Skills Roadmap to support business growth -Semta, the Sector Skills Council for science, engineering and manufacturing technologies, will lead a skills drive as part of the new Marine Industries Growth Strategy.
Launched at this week's Southampton Boat show by Business Minister Mark Prisk the Marine Industries Growth Strategy is the first ever integrated UK strategy for the marine industries and establishes a foundation for ambitious but sustainable long-term growth through employer, government, and stakeholder partnership.
Semta is leading the Strategy's Knowledge and Skills work stream and is supporting the delivery of a skills road map focused on the industry's long-term skills needs. These will be defined by a technology roadmap which is being developed in parallel as part of another of the Strategy's work streams. Knowledge and Skills is one of the six key themes of the new strategy which aims to increase the value of the marine industries and maritime services sector from £17 billion a year now to £25 billion a year by 2020.
Said Business Minister and Co-chair of the Marine Industries Leadership Council Mark Prisk: "Britain's marine industries are one of our best prospects for high value, high skilled economic growth. That's why we are launching the Marine Industries Growth Strategy to harness that potential and grow the industry by £8billion by 2020."
The marine skills roadmap will build a clear understanding of skills demand and how to improve skills supply. Semta will develop the roadmap as part of its Marine Skills Strategic plan covering 2011 to 2016. This will show return on investment through skills, and increase employer involvement through Semta's expert advice on skills solutions and funding and its proven 'Business to Skills' diagnostic model.
To support the skills drive, Semta is bidding for Growth & Innovation Fund support in 2011-2013 in areas such as Higher Apprenticeships, Online Skills Diagnostics, Higher Skills Frameworks and Skills Roadmaps.
Semta already secured Employer Investment Funding to improve the level of female progression and support effective redeployment of staff from the MoD into Science Engineering and Manufacturing and is the Qualifications and Credit Framework system to provide a more responsive and flexible system particular for smaller companies in the delivery of marine qualifications. Semta will also seek Government support to fund one additional apprentice for every apprentice trained by a company.
Having established the Marine Sector Strategy Group (MSSG), which is chaired by Ken Munro, HR Director, Babcock Marine, Semta helped set the Marine Industries Growth Strategy through the Marine Industries Leadership Council.
Said Ken Munro: "The Marine Sector Strategy Group has strengthened relationships among stakeholders, and continues to expose the skills agenda to a widening community of SMEs.
Semta is also focusing on key technologies with the creation of the skills and qualifications required to support composites."
Semta has assisted 12% of the UK marine industry since 2009 to identify their main business drivers and skills needs, and over 100 companies made a return on investment through a strategic investment in skills. Practically Semta's Marine Sector Strategy Group aims to reduce skills gaps and shortages and anticipate future needs; improve productivity, business and public services performance; improve learning supply, including the development of apprenticeships, higher education and national occupational standards.
The 'marine industries' manufacture and provide support services in the Leisure, Naval, Commercial, Offshore Renewable Energy and other smaller sectors. They include over 5,000 companies across the UK, employ nearly 90,000 people, and generate over £10bn turnover.
To find out more how Semta can support your skills investment or take a Business 2 Skills assessment, visit http://www.semta.org.uk or contact Semta Customer Services on 0845 643 9001 or email customerservices@semta.org.uk .
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