A SPECIALIST industrial plastic welding training provider has become the first in its sector to benefit from a new training support scheme endorsed by the National Skills Academy Process Industries.
Cambridgeshire-based Plasweld, which also has a Cleveland operation, offers a range of industrial plastic welding training courses both nationally and internationally, is now fully supported by the Skills Academy and can therefore award world-wide recognised certifications.
As one of the first companies to get involved in the Skills Academy’s Short Course Provider scheme, Plasweld will continue to offer its niche training products, while continuously being supported and assessed to the current European standards EN 13067 for Plastic Welders.
Plasweld Managing Director Jonathan Sykes said “We’re very proud to be the first UK plastic and welding company to enter the scheme. The scheme provides us with independent assessment, a provision of examiners and approval of the release of certificates to successful candidates.
“We’re just in the early stages at the moment, but we’re absolutely looking forward to working alongside the Skills Academy. It presents us with a wonderful opportunity to enhance knowledge and awareness within our industry sector of the standards that can be achieved in plastic welding.
“With the backing and support of the world-renowned Academy, we can raise the bar in plastic welding training, while increasing safety levels, allowing us to help improve skills and training in the international arena.”
Under the scheme, people who are able to apply the Skills Academy name against their weld procedure documentation and associated certification are recognised internationally for their competence and credibility.
Skills Academy Regional Skills Manager Lucy Milton said: “We are delighted to welcome Plasweld as one of the first companies working with us on the Short Course Provider Scheme, and look forward to helping them create partnerships with employers looking for high quality, specialist plastic welding training and formal qualification.
“The process industries face a very real skills shortage and by building partnerships with training providers such as Plasweld, we are able to create bespoke training programmes – to nationally-agreed standards – to fill those gaps.
“Part of our work involves building a strong training provider network, made up of members who have had their products and services assessed against the Academy’s rigorous assessment process.
“This gives employers the assurance that they are dealing with an organisation whose services are already acknowledged as being both specialist to the process industries, and of very high quality.”
The Skills Academy represents 20% of the UK’s process industries workforce. It is creating a national network of Academy-accredited providers that employers can turn to for help in solving the urgent skills crisis facing the process industries and has tailored the new scheme to allow more specialist providers the opportunity to offer certification.
The chemicals, polymers and pharmaceutical sectors together employ more than 33,000 people in the East of England, turnover over the equivalent of £18,000 per minute and help to produce many of the essentials for day-to-day living.
The Skills Academy is part of a national network, created by the Government to put employers in key sectors in charge of shaping the future skills framework and creating their own world class workforce.
