1 April 2009: The employer-led National Skills Academy for Nuclear is celebrating its 50th Associate Member, the Health and Safety Executive Nuclear Directorate, is the latest Associate Member of the Skills Academy.
To mark this special event, Dr Mike Weightman, HM Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations and Head of HSE’s Nuclear Directorate, was presented with his Associate Membership certificate by Jean Llewellyn, Chief Executive of the National Skills Academy for Nuclear, at the inaugural UK Nuclear Skills Awards. An event organised by the National Skills Academy for Nuclear and Cogent SSC.
The Skills Academy, which launched on the 31st January 2008, has had a steady growth of Associate Members during its first year of operation. The National Skills Academy for Nuclear is an employer led skills and training initiative which has been developed to meet the skills and training needs of nuclear employers across the UK nuclear industry. A subsidiary of Cogent Sector Skills Council, the Skills Academy is assisting Nuclear employers in tackling the current and future skills barriers and challenges facing the Nuclear industry not just in relation to the Government's £65bn clean-up programme but also for waste management, defence, fuel processing and enrichment, power production and to ensure the sector has the skills and additional resources available for the anticipated future new build programmes.
Jean Llewellyn, Chief Executive of the National Skills Academy for Nuclear said;
“Employers are the driving force behind the Skills Academy, even during the business planning stage they were fully engaged in developing the plans for the Skills Academy. Nuclear employers have pledged a commitment to ensuring their workforce is highly skilled and qualified to tackle the many skills challenges ahead. This is a clear demonstration to government of how nuclear employers are responding positively to the challenges of the Leitch agenda and national skills policy in Scotland and Wales.
I am very pleased to have the Health and Safety Executive Nuclear Directorate as part our network. Health and Safety is of paramount importance to the Nuclear Industry, and it is vital that all of the products and services offered via the Skills Academy meets the highest Health and Safety Standards.”
All Associate Members are given the opportunity to influence the direction of the Skills Academy and its products and services. Members are offered direct input into their Skills Academy via their representative/s taking seats on the Skills Academy product working groups, Regional Steering Groups and the prospect of a seat on the Skills Academy Board. These are also excellent networking opportunities.
Associate Membership status also provides employers with the opportunity to participate as part of a sector-specific employer body in responding to government consultations, informing government and influencing skills policy via the Skills Academy.
Dr Mike Weightman, HM Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations and Head of HSE’s Nuclear Directorate:
“It is a pleasure to be associated with the vital work that the National Skills Academy for Nuclear is leading. One of the fundamental enablers for securing high levels of nuclear safety is to have highly competent people. Thus, the timely initiatives of the Skills Academy are very welcome. All these organisations involved in the nuclear industry now need to take this work forward with vigour, sustained commitment and full engagement.”
Joanna Woolf, CEO, Cogent Sector Skills Council:
“It’s clear that employers who are already involved in the National Skills Academy for Nuclear are extremely pleased with the results they are getting. This expansion of the membership shows how much support there is for this initiative.
“This is an industry with an exciting future and it’s critical that employers are at the heart of developing high-quality and relevant training programmes to improve the skills of the nuclear workforce. Indeed the commitment of so many top employers to the skills agenda through Cogent and the Skills Academy means that we are building a sound basis for the future of this strategic sector.”
If you would like more information on becoming an Associate Member of the Skills Academy, contact us on 01900 898120 or visit our website www.nuclear.nsacademy.co.uk
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