National Occupational Standards, apprenticeships and qualifications development will be the priority areas upon which SummitSkills has based its revised strategy and remit.
Newell McGuiness, SELECT MD and director of the SJIB, said, ‘It is very encouraging to see the industry itself taking control of the strategic skills agenda, especially in the absence of meaningful UK government support.
‘The organisations within SummitSkills, including SELECT, are demonstrating a real commitment to the future of their trades by stepping up to the mark and taking on board their own destiny.’
SummitSkills has secured funding from its five stakeholder trade associations – SELECT; the Building and Engineering Services Association; the Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors; the Electrical Contractors’ Association; and the Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation – to underpin its skills development activities.
Overseeing SummitSkills’ refocused priorities will be Nigel Hollett, who has recently been appointed as general manager for the organisation.
He said, ‘With the economy on the upturn, and with recent positive policy announcements on construction and low carbon incentives, now more than ever we will strive to make sure that the qualifications, apprenticeships and standards for the sector reflect what businesses on the ground need them to be.’
Ian Livsey, chairman of SummitSkills, said, ‘Nigel’s appointment and the commitment and support from our stakeholder trade associations allows us to concentrate our efforts on companies, large and small, who are training the next generation of tradespeople and engineers.’
