Project Title: The North East Polymer Centre

Project Description:
This project will establish a centre of excellence in Polymer Technology. The centre will provide a comprehensive training response to the needs of the Polymer industry, providing a tailored and wide ranging training provision to meet the skills and development issues identified by local employers. The project will operate across the whole of the North East, and be the only centre of this kind in the area (Burton on Trent & Scotland having the closest facilities).

This project will establish a centre to support in developing the polymer and manufacturing industries by offering a range of services and facilities, these will include: individual consultancy & support, education & training, group support, Employer Forum, Product evaluation, Product prototyping, Tool proofing and trailing, use of centre facilities and equipment, Polymer Industries Focus Group.

At its heart will be the delivery of NVQ Level 1/2/3 qualifications. This project will provide a co-ordinated response to the training needs of the polymer sector across the North East of England, Stockton Riverside College will co-ordinate the delivery of the project.

Aim

To design and develop a centre of excellence in support of the polymer and manufacturing industry of the North East. To assist Research & Development, Education & Training & Promotion facilitation of best practice within the industry.

This project will provide a tailored and targeted range of qualification based training (Level 2-3) and short course provision to companies in the Polymer and wider chemicals sector.

Objectives

The project will deliver a range of training opportunities to;

• Design and develop a centre that reflects the requirements of industry regionally, nationally and internationally.
• Deliver technical training and upgrade/update vocational skills through the provision of industry specific training (polymer qualifications and short courses)
• Deliver these skills in an innovative and flexible manner. Since the industry is predominantly shift driven, training programmes will be provided at flexible times/sessions.
• Provide Basic Skills interventions where identified and appropriate. All qualification based training will be mapped to Basic Skills national standards, and Basic Skills will be integrated into all training.
• Engage people (19+) in employer led structured learning programmes which lead to NVQ Level 1 and 2 qualifications (workbased, employer identified and led training as part of a wider sector based training strategy)
• Deliver intermediate level qualifications to occupational sectors with identified skills shortages
• Meet sector specific training requirements not currently being met by existing provision.

Beneficiaries

The project will be targeting the SME community and their employees in the North East region.

Project Location

This will be housed in the dedicated North East Polymer Centre at :
Concorde House, Concorde Way, Stockton on Tees, TS18 3RB

Lead Organisation (underlined) and Key Partners:
Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, Job Connect, Routes to Employment, Wisegroup, Groundwork Trust, Reed in Partnership, Working Links.