Proskills secures £3.47m of government funding for training in the manufacturing sector.

Online, October 4, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Proskills has been successful in securing funding from government for employers in the process and manufacturing sector for training and qualifications in the low carbon agenda. Proskills has had to go through a rigorous process to obtain the funding which is worth £3.47million, and has been awarded as part of the Joint Investment Programme (JIP).

Within a matter of months, Proskills has managed to secure significant commitments from employers in the sector for training and qualifications in the critically important low carbon agenda; almost 140 employers involving over 3500 learners will be engaged in the programme, with all learners having started the training before July 2011. JIP means that the level of training leading towards qualifications in the sector will increase by some 20%.

Terry Watts, Proskills CEO, says: "We are delighted to be able to win for our employers substantial funding for training in such a strategically important area. I am really pleased by the response of employers in the sector to JIP; the large numbers of companies and learners, together with very significant financial and resource commitments, shows how seriously businesses in our sector take skills and how they will respond to a sector-driven initiative. One of our aims is to get the help from Government that employers, particularly smaller employers, need to come direct to them, and this represents a welcome step in that direction".

Skills Minister John Hayes, said: "We need to support the demand for technical skills in order to ensure that British businesses can succeed and take advantage of opportunities for growth.

"The joint investment announced today between Government and business shows that we are working together to develop and deliver the skills needed in areas such as advanced manufacturing and the low carbon economy."

Delivering the training and qualifications to over 3500 learners within 10 months is a major challenge. To address this challenge, Proskills is establishing close partnerships with 16 lead training providers throughout England, accredited by the Proskills Academy. The Sector Skills Council will work closely with them and employers to ensure that the appropriate services are provided within agreed timescales. We anticipate that other providers will also become involved during the course of the programme.

Proskills sees JIP as a major turning point in the role of the Sector Skills Council in the training and qualifications landscape. We plan to have a much closer relationship with Government to develop policies which are more in tune with employer demand. We also believe that our partnerships with training providers will provide the basis for a much more effective system for delivering training and qualifications centred on a sector needs.

For more information please contact Proskills on 01235 833 844 or at info@proskills.co.uk or visit www.proskills.co.uk