Executive Summary
The purpose of a Qualifications Strategy is to establish a vision for a sustainable system of education, training and development to meet the industry's current and future skills requirements.
Below is an Executive Summary of the Ceramic Industry Qualifications Strategy.
Click to view the full Ceramic Industry Qualifications Strategy August 08 (pdf file)
Executive summary
The ceramic industry’s University on the Shop Floor initiative has proved the value of collaboration between employers and learning providers in identifying and delivering training and learning to meet individuals’ and business needs. The University on the Shop Floor network identifies, develops and delivers learning that:-
· is driven by business needs
· is in tune with an ever changing and constantly evolving business environment
· is continually kept up-to-date
· recognises the differences that exist between sub-sectors / companies in the industry
There is a clear need to accredit the huge amount of work-based, bite-sized chunks of learning that takes place but is not currently recognised in the form of qualifications.
The key strategic message of the Qualifications Strategy is that there is a need for a flexible, unitised framework of competence-based qualifications that meet employer demands and business needs.
Taking the ceramic industry’s Qualifications Strategy forward
Review and development of National Occupational Standards (NOS) and new qualifications
Gaps in current provision have been identified which may be met by developing new NOS as the ‘building blocks’ for qualifications.
An increasing number of employers are using multi-skilling to meet the needs of their business. NOS and qualifications need developing to reflect multiple skills. Ceramic industry employers would also support Level 31 qualifications for selected multi-skilled employees. There is also a need for unitised qualifications and new rules of combination that support flexibility of roles: e.g. manufacturing and retail, customer service, warehousing, administration, Data Protection Laws, Business Awareness. There is no direct current evidence to suggest that this is required by the industry in Scotland.
The ceramic industry is characterised by an ageing workforce and the imminent disappearance of ceramic technical skills and knowledge: developing NOS to reflect the required technical skills and knowledge will help to address this urgent business need.
New Level 3 NOS and N/SVQs will form the basis for the potential development of an Advanced Apprenticeship in ceramics.
Employers state that they would welcome changes in funding policies to support training and achievement of N/SVQs, higher-level qualifications and degrees: ACTD will continue to work with funding bodies to secure funding to support the range of qualifications required by the industry.
New specialist learning to support ceramic technical skills and knowledge
Staffordshire University is working with ACTD and ceramic industry employers to develop higher level learning in various occupational areas including ceramic technical skills and knowledge. This is essential to future industry success. This initiative will include knowledge capture to inform the development of learning modules with credit value, leading to accredited higher-level qualifications.
Employability and Skills for Life
Essential Skills and qualifications are vital to the future success of the industry and underpin all learning and development initiatives. ACTD will continue to work with employers, learning providers and Trades Unions to ensure that these needs are met.
ACTD proposes assessments for all new employees for literacy and numeracy skills, together with assessing the existing workforce in line with the literacy and numeracy levels required to carry out their work. Learning will be delivered in conjunction with Union Learning Representatives to address any shortfalls. The industry will also examine the use of Adult Apprenticeships for existing employees.
Health and Safety and environmental
A huge amount of in-company training takes place that relates to health, safety and environmental protection: however, very little of this leads to formal qualification. Appropriate qualifications will be identified or developed to meet these requirements. This means that the whole workforce will be able to deliver improvements in health, safety and environmental protection. These activities will also be targeted at suppliers and contractors.
Apprenticeships
Employers find it difficult to attract good quality young people because of the poor image of the ceramic industry and of manufacturing in general. Developing an Advanced Apprenticeship and promoting Apprenticeships generally will serve several purposes:-
· help make the ceramic industry a more attractive proposition
· help promote companies as attractive employers / developers of people
· create a clear progression route for talented young people
· give young people a broader range of transferable and higher level skills
· help to replace the ceramic technical skills and knowledge that are fast disappearing from the industry
Progression and degrees
The Staffordshire University / ACTD work to create higher level learning will inform the development of degree-level, credit-assigned modular learning, with the potential for integration into existing degree-level qualifications. It will also inform the development of new degree-level ceramic industry-specific learning and qualifications. Driven by employers, this will have business benefits and meet business needs.
Progression routes will be clearly defined, horizontal (across several skill areas) as well as vertical (increased / higher-level skills). Qualifications will need to reflect both horizontal and vertical progression.
Continuous Improvement
Employers want the principles of Business Improvement Techniques included and embedded within qualifications. Existing ceramic NVQs include a process improvement unit as a means of progressively introducing the concept to employees. ACTD proposes to encourage further engagement in continuous improvement by developing / identifying additional NOS and incorporating these within N/SVQs.
Supplier training
Ceramic industry employers receive a significant amount of training from suppliers. In addition, ceramic manufacturing companies provide product knowledge and related training to their own employees and for employees in their supply chain: for example, retailers and distributors. There is a clear need to recognise this training in the form of appropriate qualifications. ACTD will identify supplier training that adds value to the businesses concerned, put in place arrangements to get it accredited stand-alone qualifications or part of the initiative to recognise multi-skilling.
Leadership and Management
Whilst many ceramic industry employers recruit trained / skilled managers, many are characterised by their inclination to promote those who are good at their jobs to positions of leadership and management without providing training / qualifications to support them. Employers also report an increase in the number of people who manage projects, often without appropriate training or qualifications. ACTD proposes to identify suitable qualifications and NOS to help structure training and qualify people in their management / project management role.
Actions
Review of existing ceramic National Occupational Standards
There is a clear need to review the ceramic NOS as a matter of urgency: they will be updated in line with current practices, legislation, regulation and changing technologies. The existing ceramic NOS expire in December 2009. New NOS should be developed to provide the building blocks for Level 3+ qualifications, training and learning; and for higher level ceramic technical skills and knowledge.
Qualifications
The ceramic industry requires the identification or and/or development of qualifications that meet the following identified needs and which recognise achievement following training that is carried out:
|
Subject area |
N/SVQ Level / s |
|
IT and basic software use |
1, 2 |
|
Multi-skilling |
2, 3 |
|
Supplier training |
2, 3 |
|
Health, safety and environment |
2, 3 |
|
Ceramic Technical qualifications |
3, 4 |
|
Product knowledge |
2, 3 |
|
Data Protection |
2, 3 |
|
Business awareness |
2, 3 |
|
Continuous improvement |
2, 3 |
|
Project management |
2, 3, 4 |
|
Leadership and Management |
4, 5 |
Commentary on subject areas
IT and basic software use
This is a particular issue for employees who work on the shop floor. Ceramic manufacturing processes require increasing use of computerised processes requiring skills lacking in many in the workforce. This also applies to some office-based employees who have picked up limited skills, but not received sufficient formal training to make full and effective use of IT systems. ACTD has identified an appropriate ITQ (e-skills) qualification and proposes to promote this as a means of assisting employers and employees to build the skills that are needed.
Multi-skilling
Qualifications need to be developed that reflect multiple skills where an employee:-
· is flexible in a variety of roles such as different manufacturing processes, customer service, retail, warehousing, administration etc
· changes jobs to work at the same level in a different area
A suite of NOS with new rules of combination for qualifications is required to support these requirements.
Supplier training
Research and identify those areas of supplier training that add value to a business and identify or develop qualifications that recognise this training. The qualifications may be stand-alone or sit within an existing qualification. Qualifications that are identified or developed should also accommodate manufacturers who supply e.g. product training to their customers.
Health, safety and environment
The requirements for health, safety and environmental protection are described in detail in Section 6.1. Qualifications identified / developed will need to reflect the huge amount of in-company training that currently takes place.
Ceramic Technical qualifications
Ceramic Technical skills are fast disappearing from the ceramic industry as older employees retire. Knowledge capture and the development of qualifications in ceramic technical skills and knowledge are an urgent requirement and are being addressed through ACTD’s work with Staffordshire University.
Product knowledge
Product knowledge training leading to a qualification or other form of recognition is to be targeted at customers, distributors, customer service staff, designers and area sales managers in order to increase sales; as well as employees seeking to advance their careers in the industry so that they become equipped with the product knowledge they may need in their emerging roles.
Data Protection
Employers take seriously their responsibilities for complying with legislation, protecting employees’ identity and customers’ privacy. Staff at all levels need a greater awareness of the principles of Data Protection principles and how they are applied, to ensure privacy and limit any risk of ID fraud.
Business awareness
In general, employees needs a better understanding of how their business is run and what they can contribute in terms of process facilitation and improvement, reduced waste, generation of ideas and cost management. ACTD proposes to investigate and identify / develop a suitable award to recognise knowledge and understanding.
Continuous improvement
A detailed commentary on Continuous Improvement plans may be found in Section 6.1. Continuous Improvement needs to be embedded within existing qualifications to encourage the growth of a culture of Continuous Improvement to replace traditional values.
Project management
There is a need to equip employees who have responsibility for the management of projects with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed; and to recognise their achievements in the form of a qualification.
Leadership and Management
People who are good at their jobs are promoted, often without appropriate training or qualifications. Identification / development of appropriate qualifications is needed. This is likely to be accomplished through the work ACTD is undertaking with Staffordshire University.
All of the above have been identified by employers as having tangible business benefits and essential to business needs. The activities will be undertaking as part of the continuing work through the ceramic industry’s University on the Shop Floor.
For further information or if you wish to comment please contact:-
Keith Marsh – Director of ACTD
01782 747828
keith@actd.co.uk