Skills Minister John Hayes has announced funds over £2.4m from the Growth Innovation Fund (GIF) to the nuclear and creative and cultural sectors.
The GIF was set up to help employers overcome barriers to growth within their sectors and industries. So far the government has committed over £15 million to:
* boost innovation and productivity
* enable industries to set new professional standards
* support new or extended national skills academies.
Support for nuclear skills
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The National Skills Academy (NSA) for Nuclear Manufacturing will receive government investment of more than £920,000. This will enable the Academy expand its activities into nuclear manufacturing to help UK manufacturers take advantage of the opportunities offered by the new nuclear build programme. It will also collaborate with the Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies (SEMTA) and the Sheffield-based Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre to create a focal point to boost companies’ capability to develop skills.
Within its first three years the expansion aims to deliver a more skilled workforce, with an increase of 3,500 learners taking up programmes, including more than 500 apprenticeships.
Support for creative and cultural skills
The National Skills Academy for Creative and Cultural will receive around £1.5 million. This will enable it to expand and open up opportunities for more than 1,200 new apprenticeships and craft training for young people across the jewellery, design and cultural heritage sectors.
The NSA Creative and Cultural also plans to reach around 1.2 million young people through their careers information, advice and guidance material over the next 5 years. It will work with a number of leading organisations and employers, for example the Goldsmiths’ Company, Holts Academy and the British Jewellers’ Association.
Skills Minister John Hayes said:
“It is businesses themselves that are best-placed to identify the skills they need to drive growth. This investment is very good news for the UK nuclear and creative industries and will help them to overcome the skills gaps that stand in the way of them meeting their full potential.
“The new centre for excellence for nuclear manufacturing will increase the number of opportunities for technicians and skilled workers and ensure that UK firms can source the skills they need to grow their market share in an expanding market.
“The National Skills Academy for Creative and Cultural has already demonstrated its success in working with more than 200 employers in the theatre and live entertainment business. I am delighted that investment will allow them to increase opportunities in the design, cultural heritage and jewellery sectors.”
For both nuclear manufacturing and for creative and cultural, government funding will be matched by business and delivered over three years.
