Stakeholders

Workforce Development needs and issues

Priorities for action

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1.1       Industrial and occupational coverage

1.1.1     The ceramics and cold-cast industry encompasses a range of employer bases, from the one-person craft potter through to large multi-national organisations employing several thousand people.  The Association for Ceramic Training and Development has identified 800 ceramic companies of which, it is estimated, 90% employ fewer than 250 people and a significant number of these companies employ fewer than 25.  The ceramics industry is thus characterised by a large proportion of small and medium sized enterprises.

The industry is made up of three discrete sectors; Ceramic Companies, Cold-Cast Resin Companies and Craft Potters.

1.1.2     Ceramic Companies

Ceramic companies in the UK are estimated to number 700. They are involved in manufacturing products made from earthenware, stoneware, terracotta and porcelain – including bone china.  Stoke-on-Trent, the home of the potteries, remains the nucleus of the industry.  The sector consists of a small number of large ceramic companies, having between 500 and several thousand employees, various medium-sized companies, with between 50 and 500 employees, and many small companies employing fewer than 25 people, with many having below five.

This sector can be broken down further, into tableware and giftware (domestic and hospitality), sanitaryware, tiles and flags, industrial ceramics, technical/advanced ceramics.

1.1.3     Cold-Cast Resin Companies

This sector is dominated by a small number of medium sized companies with approximately 100 employees and a good number of very small companies with fewer than 25 employees.  The total number of companies in the sector is estimated to be 40.

The cold-cast sector uses materials such as resins, granulates etc which do not require heat for the finishing processes.  The sector feeds a growing market and the processes it utilises are finding favour with several large companies, as well as a growing number of small companies, due to ease of production.

1.1.4     Craft Potters

Craft potters operate largely as one-person businesses, often in rural areas, producing items thrown on a wheel, and moulded, cast and hand-built and shaped work.  There are many people who might class themselves as potters but who are not occupationally active, and either would be unable to make a living as a potter, or who engage in pottery purely as a leisure activity. 

The estimated number of commercially active craft potters is 5,000.

The numbers employed in each of the sectors and by category are illustrated in Figure One.

1.1.5     In the UK, the main bulk of the ceramics industry is centred around Stoke-on-Trent, traditional home of the potteries.  A diversity of company types, sizes and a wealth of occupations which have given the industry its character and nature throughout its history are still based in the Stoke-on-Trent area.  A number  of large companies are centred on other towns and cities throughout the UK, Crown Derby, Royal Worcester and Poole Pottery to name a few.  The number of ceramic companies in Scotland is very small.  Similarly, there is only a small number of ceramic companies in Northern Ireland and in Wales; of these companies, most are working craft potters.

1.2        Economic and business issues

1.2.1     The ceramics industry is one of the UK’s traditional industries; it has contributed significantly to Gross Domestic Product over several hundreds of years. Today, ceramic manufacturing represents approximately 1% of Gross Domestic Product and export is still very important to the industry – in some cases export sales account for 60-65% of turnover. Global ceramic production is concentrated in Europe and the Far East, with regional clustering and specialisation a widespread phenomenon.

1.2.2     The ceramics industry faces many competitiveness issues at both industry and company level.  There are several key problems including the decline of the industry in employment terms, intensified competition from overseas producers, development and adoption of new production techniques, increasing skill shortages and recruitment difficulties.  The combination of a strong pound, high interest rates and the collapse of East Asian markets has resulted in a difficult time for ceramics.  Optimism in and for the industry is not very high, except in a few instances, and the image of the industry has suffered as a consequence.

1.2.3     Many UK ceramic companies have an excellent record of implementing ‘best practice’.  Several companies have produced winning designs and some are engaged in continuous new product development; a number of companies have improved their performance substantially.  Technical innovations are helping to improve manufacturing efficiency.  Recent investment in capital equipment has resulted in faster firing, reduced costs through granulate pressing, pressure casting and direct printing and improved design capability through CAD systems.  Throughout the bricks, tiles and sanitaryware sectors, rationalisation and optimisation of processes has resulted in greater efficiency.

However, it is also recognised that there are still substantial gaps in manufacturing efficiencies, most notably in the areas of process engineering and Lean and Agile manufacturing.  As a consequence, the optimisation of these technologies is diluted and there is still potential for improvement.

1.2.4     The extent of change currently taking place within ceramics is complex and far-reaching and includes:

a    Increasing competition and the emergence or increased activity of new rivals for existing markets.

b    Changing patterns of market demand following changes to lifestyle and consumer tastes.

c    Expansion of technical and advanced ceramic markets, which provide considerable prospects for growth for those firms willing and able to devote adequate levels of research and development and to invest in their sales and commercial development.

d    Greater emphasis on faster turnaround from design to manufacture, necessitating the need for advanced technology for production and firing, computerised design and production (CAD/CAM), increased automation and less reliance on labour intensive production methods.

e    Restructuring of the industry which has increased the need for collaborative arrangements and pooling of resources, especially amongst the smaller companies.

            Summary of changes currently  affecting the industry

The effects of the changes reported above are: 

1.3        Employment Levels and Trends

1.3.1     Employee numbers are identified as approximately 42,121, which can be broken down as follows:

1.3.2     The field research for the Skills Foresight report identified several employment issues:

·         Labour turnover – some companies are experiencing labour turnover with employees of five years+ employment.  These companies have not previously experienced such turnover  of labour and they have not yet identified ‘what they are doing wrong’ to cause the situation.

·         Absenteeism – is a growing problem.  Some employees seem to be prepared to take time off rather than earn extra money.

·         Outsourcing out of the locality is affecting the skills base of the local community.  Some companies have adopted a policy that they will only outsource work within the local community – to try and protect the skills base.  Other companies are outsourcing on a global scale.

·         Some companies are looking at additional facilities, which they can offer to the workforce to enhance working conditions and to make for a more worker/family friendly working environment.  Facilities such as a crèche, medical centre, annualised hours, flexible hours of working and a resource learning centre were all mentioned.

·         Breaking down the gender barriers for factory roles – this is a difficult issue to tackle and there is quite a lot of resistance from shopfloor workers and from management.

·         Some companies are rewarding workers on the basis of their versatility, ie the number of different skills which they can perform competently.  Other companies prefer to develop versatility on the basis of making and keeping the workforce employable.  Most companies have trained and developed a core group of multi-skilled or flexible workers to help cope with fluctuations in demand, absenteeism and to retain the skills in the workforce.

·         Companies are including flexibility clauses into contracts – this enables them to move employees into different jobs and sometimes to different sites.

1.4               Demographics of the workforce

1.4.1     A gender barrier still exists in some factory roles within the industry.  Jobs which were traditionally performed by men, eg heavy, dirty work, are still performed by men, while work requiring manual dexterity is being performed by women.  There is quite a lot of resistance to breaking down gender barriers, particularly from shopfloor workers and from management.  Figure Two illustrates the full-time/part-time employment figures and the male/female employee figures in the tableware, giftware, tiles and flag manufacturing sectors.

            FIGURE TWO    Tableware, giftware, tiles, flag manufacturing employment figures

1.4.2          The ceramics industry employs a much smaller percentage of managers and professional employees than the national average, whereas a much larger average percentage of operatives are employed.

FIGURE THREE       Breakdown of jobs in the ceramics industry

The occupational structure of the industry reflects its dependency upon manufacturing skills.

1.4.3     In some areas of the industry there is an ageing workforce.  The significance of this problem varies across the sectors.  Tableware, giftware, sanitaryware and tiles are experiencing the problem, whereas the cold-cast resin sector has a relatively young workforce by comparison.

It is clear that this problem must be considered in the context of future production levels and the benefits that technological developments can bring to the industry.  Relevant skill developments will be at a premium.  Whilst a larger number of young workers would improve the levels of flexibility and responsiveness, it is equally important to bear in mind that public policy will increasingly encourage older workers to continue in work, on account of the financial consequences of their continued withdrawal.

1.5               Skills and qualifications of the workforce

1.5.1          There is evidence to show that employers are investing in the development of their manufacturing workforce.  The tableware sector now has some 3,000 workers who have achieved the Level 2 NVQ.  Given that there are around 17,000 workers employed in the tableware sector, there is still some way to go to improve overall skills in the sector. 

1.5.2          The industry has set targets for the achievement of vocational qualifications  - this has been done by different categories of workers, ie shopfloor, administration, sales, finance, warehouse/despatch etc.  

Training records are not well used in the industry; greater and better use of training records would enable achievement against the targets to be measured more easily and accurately as well as providing individual companies with more information about the workforce.  Information about the training and qualifications of the employees is particularly useful in structuring the workforce, in identifying and developing key workers and multi-skilled workers, in developing progression plans etc.

1.6               Skill shortages and gaps

1.6.1     Skill shortages, skills gaps and recruitment difficulties have been giving some cause for concern in the ceramics industry over the past three years.  Several reports have identified anecdotal evidence of problems in this area ie Strategic Analysis of the Ceramics Industry in Staffordshire ECOTEC 1999, Education, Training and Qualifications in the Ceramics Industry 1998 and Occupational and Functional Mapping Study 1997, however, it has not been possible to carry out a statistical, and therefore valid, analysis of the information which is currently available.

See Section Three for more details of skill shortages and skill gaps.

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2.1               Main stakeholders

Employers

Employers, as part of their ultimate goal of making profits, are responsible for identifying their own individual and collective skills gaps and development needs.  They need to ensure that systems are in place to develop the skills of all of their employees to cope with the current needs and with the anticipated needs of the business.

The National and Local Learning and Skills Councils (47 local arms) have the key role in raising standards in all post-16 learning.  Through research and analysis, the LSC, with other organisations, aims to assess and anticipate national, regional and local learning and skill needs.  The LSC has a remit to draw up an over-arching national strategy for workforce development, working in partnership with Regional Development Agencies, National Training Organisations, the Small Business Service and others.  The new Learning and Skills Councils will be operational from April 2001.

This body will have a similar role to the National Learning and Skills Council in England from April 2001 and will be responsible for funding post-16 education and training.  There will be four Regional Boards and a number of Community Consortia for Education and Training (CCETs), local partnerships of training and education providers whose role will be to identify the training needs of individuals, communities and employers in their region.

Department for Enterprise and Learning (Scotland)

Education and training functions for the workforce have been devolved to this department of the Scottish Parliament.

Regional Development Agencies

Nine Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) have been established in the English regions.  RDAs are Government-sponsored public bodies, with Boards which are business led and which reflect the perspectives and needs of each region and the main interest groups within each region. 

The primary role of RDAs is to provide a central focus in each region for the co-ordination of a regional economic strategy.  RDAs promote sustainable economic development and social and physical regeneration and co-ordinate the work of regional and local partners in areas such as employment, training, investment and business support. 

With responsibility for Single Regeneration Bids, English Partnerships, and for developing Regional Economic Strategies and Skills Action Plans, they have a role in identifying and developing strategies to meet the skill needs of all sectors within their region.

Welsh Development Agency and Regional Economic Fora (Wales)

There are four Regional Economic Fora and they have a similar role to that of the nine Regional Development Agencies in England.

Government Offices for the Regions (GOR)

Responsible for co-ordinating European funds, New Deal for communities and for the soon-to-be operational Learning and Skills Councils.

The Small Business Service will be responsible for a range of support and advice services to small and medium sized businesses (SMEs).  In some areas, local Learning and Skills Councils are likely to devolve responsibility for all workforce development activities to the Small Business Service.

The Government Department is responsible for strategic support and funding of:

National Training Organisation (NTO)

The Government has recognised 70 employer-led National Training Organisations (NTOs), each covering an industrial or commercial sector, a public sector or an occupational group.  NTOs have a wide and far-reaching role to fulfil, their functions cover advising Government on education and training, skills foresight (including labour market information), the development of National Occupational Standards, Modern Apprenticeship Frameworks and guidance on National Traineeships and for Skillseekers in Scotland.  ACTD is the recognised NTO for the ceramics industry.

Ceramic Industry Forum (CIF)

The Ceramic Industry Forum was formally launched in August 2000 in direct response to a strategic analysis of the industry undertaken by ECOTEC and commissioned by four partners.  The partners were Government Office for the West Midlands, Staffordshire TEC, the British Ceramics Confederation and Stoke on Trent City Council.  CIF, supported by Government funding, aims to work with UK companies to encourage take up of significant training and development activities and to promote and encourage innovation in design, marketing, manufacturing and technology.  The CIF will collaborate with partners to find the best ways of working with the industry, to provide the right support and to boost the competitiveness of the industry.

Ceramic and Allied Trades Union (CATU)

In 1998 the government launched a new initiative, the Union Learning Fund (ULF).  This was part of a broader based policy on Partnership in Lifelong Learning forming part of the government’s overall view that ‘learning is the best way of improving our individual employability and the productivity of the organisations we work for’.  CATU has been proactive in developing projects within the ULF and has successfully worked with several organisations in the Stoke area delivering innovative and sustainable training and development.  The training and development has to date concentrated on delivering basic skills courses to union members in the workforce.

The British Ceramic Confederation

The British Ceramic Confederation is a trade association, which represents the interests of the ceramic industry at local, national , European and international level.  It takes a pro-active lead, and provides the voice of the industry on all relevant business fronts, including import and export, health and safety legislation, environmental issues, industrial relations etc. 

The BCC provides advice with regard to changes in legislation and prepares guidance to assist in the implementation of such changes.  The BCC includes within its membership wide coverage of ceramic and ceramic-related companies, it provides coverage of  the majority of large companies who between them employ some 80-90% of the workforce.

Ceram Research

Ceram Research was founded immediately after the war to service bricks, refractories and whitewares, and to provide specialised services in research and development, testing and specific project work for members.  It has a membership of around 220 companies, and seeks to help its members (and the industry) to be at the forefront of new developments, to solve technological and production problems and to provide opportunities to keep up-to-date with current thinking. 

The Craft Potters Association (CPA)

The CPA was founded in 1958 as a co-operative to sell the work of potter members and to increase awareness in craft pottery.  The CPA has various categories of membership including Fellows, Members and Associates – current membership is around 1,000 members.  The CPA established the Craft Pottery Charitable Trust to provide for the educational interests of members which it does through exhibitions, fairs, lectures and bursaries.

The Institute of Materials

The Institute of Materials merged with the Institute of Ceramics and the Plastics and Rubber Institute in 1993.  The Institute of Materials is now the professional body for all materials scientists and engineers.  Members of the Institute include physicists, chemists and mechanical engineers interested in ceramics as well as those with qualifications in ceramics or similar materials disciplines. 

The Institute’s primary functions are the award of qualifications and the provision of services and representation of members.  The Institute provides structured educational and training support services including Continuing Professional Development.  

2.2               Education and training within the sector

2.2.1     Providers of education and training within the sector:

2.2.2     There are several examples of good practice in developing relevant education and training provision in the industry, ie where companies have worked closely with local colleges and universities.  The Trades Union is actively promoting the importance of education and training to its members and is supporting basic skills and courses in the local colleges through the Union Training Fund.

2.2.3     Companies complain that there is insufficient information available from the local colleges at the right time for them to identify and nominate delegates.  Colleges complain that companies do not support the ceramics courses in sufficient numbers for the courses to be commercially viable.  Consequently, some courses which were previously available are no longer provided.

2.2.4     Local colleges in the Stoke-on-Trent area are not able to provide some practical training courses because they do not have access to the necessary equipment.  It was reported that apparently there is some ceramics manufacturing equipment at Staffordshire University which has not been used for a few years.  The question was asked as to whether it would be possible to access this equipment and to move it to a centre where practical training can be provided.  If so, a list of core processes could be agreed so that the majority of companies could take advantage of the training.

2.2.5     ACTD is exploring the possibilities of providing a range of on-line training materials through the University for Industry – Learndirect.

2.2.6     Work is in hand to prepare the Ceramic Level 2 NVQ in a variety of IT formats, eg CD Rom, interactive web-site.  The objective is to enable individual companies to access the assessment materials, to customise the materials for their own use and make them available on demand to individuals.

2.2.7     In 1997 the British Ceramic Confederation worked with all of the local colleges and universities to develop a Ceramic Industry Prospectus.  The prospectus was welcomed by members of the BCC, however, it has not been updated since.

2.3        Accreditation, inspection and support

These organisations provide funding for the development of National Occupational Standards across all sectors and approve awarding bodies that award qualifications.

Ceramic Industry specific qualifications are provided by:

Qualifications which are relevant to non-ceramic specific  employees eg managers, administrative staff, sales etc. are provided by most of the major awarding bodies.

Adult Learning Inspectorate

This new body will be responsible for inspecting all publicly funded delivery of courses to adults over the age of 19.

This is a national independent resource of experience and expertise for education and training providers.  Taking over from the Further Education Development Agency their role covers policy development and implementation, the promotion of continuing professional development, evaluation work, support for providers and dissemination of good practice. 

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3.1               Major issues

3.1.1     A major problem in recruitment is said to be the image of the industry and a poor image of the locality.  Companies are prepared to train workers if they can attract people who have the right attitude and who are flexible in their approach to work. 

3.1.2     It is difficult to attract young people into the industry and many companies report difficulties in finding suitable National Trainees and Modern Apprentices – it is particularly difficult to recruit manufacturing apprentices and laboratory apprentices.  Employed status is being offered to young people to try and attract suitable applicants.

3.1.3     Anecdotal evidence through the Skills Foresight research identified that some companies are being blacklisted by parents, schoolchildren and by schools.  The companies concerned are those which have made redundancies.

3.1.4     It is difficult to attract graduates into the industry because the expectations and aspirations of graduates are usually higher than can be satisfied. 

3.1.5     Companies which have invested in new automated plant and equipment are switching to shift work – some of them are experiencing difficulties in recruiting twilight workers.

3.1.6     It is easier to recruit manufacturing managers than managers for commercial departments – and they do not need to be offered enhanced packages.  This is, however, creating differentials between management salary scales and compensation packages, ie between manufacturing managers and commercial managers.

3.1.7          The ceramics industry employs a much smaller percentage of managers and professional employees than the national average, whereas a much larger average percentage of operatives are employed.  The employment trends in the ceramic industry are moving along with the national trends, albeit at a lower level, to more managers and professional occupations. The industry will therefore be competing with other industries to recruit technically competent employees, in an area in which difficulties are already experienced.

3.2               Demand side issues

3.2.1     Workforce planning is under-developed in the industry eg multi-skilling now seems to be commonplace within the industry although this situation has evolved, rather than  being developed to a plan.  Companies do not seem to set themselves targets for the number of multi-skilled workers that they need, but concentrate instead on simply developing multi-skilled workers.

3.2.2     Multi-skilled workers are said to be key workers in companies – those people whose skills have been learned and developed over a long period of time.  Some companies said that they wouldn’t be able to function without their multi-skilled workers and other companies said it would take some time to recover from the loss of their multi-skilled workers. 

3.3               Supply side issues

3.3.1          Recruitment difficulties range from people with specific skills through to difficulties in recruiting suitable, reliable and interested people who are willing to be trained in specific ceramic skills.  The point was made that the employment terms and conditions being offered are now better than they were five years ago but it is still difficult to attract skilled workers into the industry.  Enhanced packages are being offered regularly to try and improve the recruitment process.  It was also reported that there is a growing problem with absenteeism – “if we pay more to attract new recruits, these workers often take time off and are not reliable”.

3.4               Skill gaps and shortages

3.4.1    Recruitment difficulties range from people with specific skills through to difficulties in recruiting suitable, reliable and interested people who are willing to be trained in specific ceramic skills.   Some skilled workers who were made redundant in the last major downsizing experienced in the industry (1998-1999) are not prepared to return to the industry due to the perceived fluctuations in demand, which do not provide for security of employment.  Skilled people who now seem to be lost to the industry are:  gilders, dishmakers, lithographers, spongers/fettlers and semi-automative hollowware operators.

Several companies reported ‘lack of literacy, numeracy and IT skills’ in the Skills Foresight research.  Some went further, identifying ‘lack of basic skills – literacy, numeracy and verbal communications’ and ‘lack of key skills - application of number, communications, information technology, problem solving and team working’ as causing them problems. 

Whilst many of the larger companies are trying to address the lack of basic skills and key skills by working with local colleges, the problem is much greater than can be handled with current resources.

The Skills Foresight report identified the following skill shortages:

Company specific skills                  

·         Aerographing
·         Enamelling       

Industry wide skill shortages 

·         Accountancy
·         Administration
·         Ceramic technicians
·         Electrical control engineers
·         Electrical/electronic/mechanical engineering skills
·         Electrician
·         Engineers – who can sell and install
·         Language skills
·         Mechanical skills
·         Sales
·         Team leaders
·         Technical manager

General skill shortages                    

·         Business Awareness
·         Information technology
·         Life skills
·         Literacy
·         Numeracy 
·         Problem solving         

3.4.2     Skill gaps are more difficult to identify.  Companies and/or employees often work round difficulties by giving responsibility for some tasks to a specific person or persons, modifying working practices or accepting a lower quality or reduced output for a period of time.  Skill gaps thus become the normal way of working.

There are, however, some major skill gaps evident in the industry.  Literacy, numeracy, IT, verbal communications, problem solving and teamworking skills are giving cause for concern.  Whilst many of the larger companies are trying to address the lack of these skills by working with the local colleges, the problem is much greater than can be handled with current resources.

Other skill gaps reported in the Skills Foresight report are:

·         Coping with change
·         Multi-skilled workers
·         Man management skills
·         Appreciation and understanding of business
·         Flexibility and adaptability
·         PLCs and robotics
·         Language skills
·         Lean manufacturing techniques
·         Just in time techniques
·         Instruction and training
·         Operating and servicing skills – first line maintenance for machine operatives
·         Understanding of the ceramic process  - people need a rounded and full understanding of ceramics
·         Instructional, coaching and counselling techniques

3.5        Training Issues

Training within the industry is provided by a variety of means, often depending on the occupational category.  The industry is not renowned for its level of training, which typically involves on-the-job, ‘sitting by Nellie’ type training. 

The Skills Foresight report identified the following issues concerned with education and training:

·         Not all training seems to be derived from a strategic plan.  Many different and varied training activities are evident in  the larger companies but they do not seem to provide a coherent, comprehensive approach to training.  (The companies which have achieved IIP recognition appear more strategic in their approach to training, although there are still some apparent gaps in some cases.)  Training activities seem to be focused on short-term needs.

·      Senior managers and directors very rarely seem to undertake any training and development themselves.

·      Evaluation is under-developed and under-utilised.  Courses seem to be changed as a result of employees complaining not as a result of formal evaluation.

·      There are some significant barriers to accessing government funds for training and development.  There is too much bureaucracy and too many unnecessary people are involved. This just adds to the time it takes to develop and implement training initiatives and adds to the cost, which reduces the actual amount available for training.

·      Smaller companies are unaware of funding that is available to support training and don’t know who to contact or how to access funding.

·      Funding is not always directed in the most appropriate way.  Larger companies would be prepared to cascade training to smaller companies if they were able to access funding to support their own training needs.

3.6        National occupational standards and vocational qualifications

3.6.1     There is some evidence to show that employers are investing in the development of their manufacturing workforce.  The tableware sector now has some 3,000 workers who have achieved the Level 2 NVQ.  Given that there are some 17,000 workers employed in the tableware sector there is still some way to go to improve overall skills in the sector.

3.6.2     The industry generally has a lack of information about the qualifications and skills of their workers.   Training records are not always kept and even where they are they usually only record training activities undertaken through and sponsored by employers.

3.7        Penetration of national initiatives and variation of provision

3.7.1     Several companies have committed to achieving the Investors in People award, some companies have already achieved the award, and others have been re-recognised.  A number of companies which started working towards the criteria for IIP decided not to go forward for assessment.  The reasons given for none assessment were the bureaucracy involved, the fact that it is a time consuming exercise and that the award itself would not give any more benefits than had been realised by working towards the criteria.  Not all companies see a value in the award itself.  The industry would like to see some incentives given for implementing individual criteria within the Investor in People award.

3.7.2     Modern Apprenticeships and National Traineeships are well supported in the industry although, as reported elsewhere, companies do experience difficulties in recruiting young people for the manufacturing apprenticeships and for the laboratory apprenticeships.

3.7.3     Most of the large companies and a few of the medium sized companies have been involved through ACTD with the development of National Occupational Standards and NVQs/SVQs and with the development of an industry strategy for Lifelong Learning.  Many of the companies have introduced standards and qualifications in the workforce, however, there is a concern that the qualifications don’t meet the needs of the industry although the standards themselves are still well supported.

3.7.4     One of the difficulties in working with and fully supporting national initiatives is that many companies don’t plan their training and development activities on a strategic basis.  Many initiatives are looked at initially but are dropped when something different is introduced.

3.8        Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs)

3.8.1     Some people in the industry have indicated that SMEs are the future growth area of the ceramic industry other people believe that the large companies are highly important. The size, structure and flexibility of small companies, coupled with an ability to create innovative designs manufactured in small batch sizes, is seen as a distinct advantage in placing product in a fast changing and increasingly fashion driven marketplace.  Large companies should be able to support small companies by demonstrating best practice, cascading experiences of different initiatives (product, process, materials and training initiatives) and should be able to provide employment opportunities on a greater scale than smaller companies.

3.8.2     Research for the Skills Foresight  tried to establish how important SMEs are to the future of the industry, comments received are as follows:

·           SMEs are very important in the future of the industry, but this should not be taken to mean all SMEs.

·          Some SMEs are looking to establish a strong base on which to build for the future, and are investing in the business and the workforce for that future; other SMEs are looking to make a good return in the more immediate term, they are concerned with the future for the owner and not the future for the business.  There is a need to identify the lifestyle SMEs and the SMEs which are building companies for the future. 

(There is a recognition in Germany that many SMEs are really self-employed people, possibly with a few employees.  The government in Germany does not spend time and resources trying to encourage these SMEs to grow but, instead, identifies those SMEs which are looking to establish larger businesses, and offers support and incentives to encourage their endeavours.)

·             Support for SMEs should be directed at those companies which are investing in their own future and the future of the business – they are identified as SMEs which invest in capital equipment and in training their workforce, they address advances in technology, they are innovative across all operations, they have good and new designs, they are willing to listen and to share, they make time to listen and to share, they are risk takers.

·           Large companies provide a lead, which many smaller companies  follow,  co-operation and collaboration between large and small companies should be encouraged and supported.

·           Some SMEs in the ceramics industry are limited in their potential growth because if they grow too large they will destroy the market that they have created (one-off, unique, collectable products).

·           SMEs tend to work in niche markets, some of which have a limited lifespan.

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4.1        Priorities in the industry are

·         To improve the image of the industry
·         To improve strategic planning and use of training and development
·         To improve the basic skills, key skills and personal skills of the existing workforce and of the potential workforce
·         To improve the relevance of and flexibility within NVQs/SVQs, Modern Apprenticeships, National Traineeships and Investors in People
·         To access and make the best use of resources within the industry and resources which are available to the industry

4.2        Priorities for employers

4.2.1     Develop a strategic plan for training and development activities aligned closely to the business plan.  Investors in People is a useful vehicle to assist in this action.

4.2.2     Take a systematic approach to management development for all managers, supervisors and team leaders – this includes senior managers and directors.  All team leaders, supervisors and managers should be given some training and development every year irrespective of whether or not they are still doing the same job. 

4.2.3     Take an imaginative approach to the use of National Occupational Standards, NVQs/SVQs, Modern Apprenticeships and National Traineeships and to the achievement of the Investors in People award.

4.2.4     Conduct a skills analysis for the workforce, establish appropriate training records and identify ways in which employees can access basic skills , key skills  and personal skills training.

4.2.5     Determine the image that the industry would like to project and work with all relevant organisations to establish the image.

4.2.6     Collaborate with other companies to develop a strategy for working with schools and with careers teachers.

 4.3        Priorities for ACTD

4.3.1     Work with the Ceramic Industry Forum to establish a single body with responsibility for education, training and vocational qualifications in the industry.

4.3.2     Establish a coherent and comprehensive programme of training and development support services for the industry.

4.3.3     Identify potential sources of funding and undertake joint programmes of work with relevant organisations to improve the image of the industry and to address the skill shortages and skill gaps.

4.3.4     Promote the industry as a place to work, publicise the types of jobs in the industry, the career opportunities and the training and development opportunities.

4.3.5     Review national occupational standards and qualifications to ensure that sufficient flexibility is available for the industry and to ensure that the needs of multi-skilled workers are adequately reflected.

4.3.6     Promote the use of national occupational standards for organisational self-assessment and the use of quality frameworks and the functional map for organisational development.

4.3.7     Work with the industry and with education and training providers to develop relevant training for team leaders, supervisors, line managers and senior managers.

4.3.8     Carry out a long-term, highly analytical review of skill shortages, skill gaps and other related employment and training issues in the industry, eg the number of companies recognised as Investors in People and the number committed to the Investor in People award, the number of qualifications achieved, absenteeism, outsourcing activity, use of agency workers etc.  This work could be combined with regular labour market research projects.

4.3.9     Establish active and constructive contact with ceramics companies outside of the Stoke-on-Trent area.  Explore innovative ways of involving these companies in development work, in dissemination activities and in research.

4.3.10   Work with the University for Industry – Learndirect to establish the availability of a range of on-line training materials.

4.3.11      Develop an interactive website with specific objectives of supporting young people in their search for career opportunities and supporting SMEs to identify and access available funding.

4.3.12      Provide a forum for employers to develop a strategy for promoting jobs and careers industry-wide to schools.

4.3.13      Identify companies that supply products and services to the industry and carry out an audit of their skills gaps and skill shortages.

4.3.14      Develop a strategy to support the training and development of supply companies.

4.3.15      Establish training networks to provide training and development opportunities for identified clusters of needs.

4.4        DfEE, LSCs, GORs, CETW and LECs

4.4.1          There is a need to ensure that the National and Local Learning and Skills Councils, National Council for Education and Training for Wales (CETW) and Local Enterprise Companies (LECs) gain a thorough understanding of the issues affecting the ceramic industry, its learning and skills needs and provide funding and strategies to address these.

4.4.2          Establish the LSC in Staffordshire as the Lead LSC with responsibility for working with and supporting the ceramic industry.

4.4.3          DfEE, LSCs, GORs, CETW and LECs need to ensure that their systems of funding and quality are designed to support large and small companies alike

4.4.4          Review funding mechanisms with the objective of increasing the amount of funds which actually reaching the end users – the learners.

4.4.5          Provide regular reports to the Ceramic NTO of the level of contact with companies in the ceramic industry and of the outcomes of that contact.

4.4.6          Review the way in which support is given for becoming recognised as an Investor in People company.  Provide support for the achievement of some of the criteria without the need for full assessment.

4.4.7          Provide regional and local data on education and training providers in the industry

4.4.8          Identify and share examples of good practice and processes from the industry or from other manufacturing industries.

4.4.9          Provide information about relevant funding opportunities and methodologies and how to access these, especially funds from the Small Business Service.

4.4.10      Review the funding which is made available to support medium and small sized companies and explore innovative ways with the industry to involve as many companies as possible in different initiatives.  Explore the possibility of funding some of the training activities of large companies on condition that these companies cascade the training to a number of smaller enterprises.

4.4.11      Use language which is jargon and acronym free and respects the mixed levels of understanding and expertise related to post-16 education and training within the industry.

4.4.12      Identify ways in which the image of the industry can be promoted to young people, parents, education and training providers and to the Careers Service.

4.4.13      Improve the achievement of basic skills, and key skills for all school leavers. Explore innovative ways in which key skills, basic skills and personal skills training can be made more widely available to individuals in the industry.

4.5               Regional Development Agencies

4.5.1          Advantage West Midlands should provide funding for a person(s) to work with the industry and with Stoke-on-Trent to promote the image of the industry and of the locality.

4.6               Small Business Service

4.6.1          Work with large companies to identify ways in which they can provide training and support to small and medium sized enterprises. 

4.6.2          Ensure that funding which is available for SMEs supports as many companies as possible and which makes least use of providers and consultants who do not have relevant and up-to-date experience of working in the industry.

4.6.3          Provide reports to the Ceramic NTO of all contact with companies in the industry and of the outcomes of the contact.

4.7               Careers Service

4.7.1          Ensure that the careers service is fully aware of the job and career opportunities in the industry and that these are promoted in a positive way in all careers activities.

4.8               Awarding Bodies

4.8.1          Need to develop a range of strategies to overcome the barriers created for individuals and companies by cumbersome assessment methods.

4.8.2          Need to develop a user friendly, responsive service to enquiries and to users of vocational qualifications.

4.9               Education and Training Providers

4.9.1          Identify and share existing models of good practice in supporting work-based learning and accreditation.

4.9.2          Work with the industry to develop and provide relevant management training and development opportunities in ways which are appropriate for learners.

4.9.3          Identify the core ceramic processes for which off-the-job training can be developed and find ways in which to access the equipment needed to provide the training.

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The following outcomes should be able to be achieved if all stakeholders act upon the recommended priorities for action:

5.1               Image of the industry

5.1.1          Employers, schools, colleges, and the careers service will have identified strategies to promote the image of the industry and will be working on joint projects to improve the image of the industry.

5.1.2          Young people will seek work in the industry and will be aware of the career opportunities and training and development support.

5.1.3          Graduates will be attracted to work in the industry and will seek out placements in companies whilst they are studying.

5.1.4          There will be a measurable increase in the number of ‘good news’ stories about the industry in the local press and publications.

5.1.5          The RDA – Advantage West Midlands will have a dedicated person with responsibility for promoting the interests of the ceramic industry.

5.1.6          There will be an annual Industry Awards Ceremony/Event with a high profile celebration of success for trainees and others within the industry.

5.2               Strategic planning

5.2.1          There will be a measurable increase in the number of companies who develop and work to a strategic plan for training and development.

5.2.2          Relevant management training will be available for team leaders, supervisors and line managers, through local education and training providers, and will be supported by companies.

5.2.3          There will be a measurable increase in the number of companies whose senior managers and directors undergo training and development activities as a recognised part of their responsibilities.

5.2.4          Relevant stakeholders will be committed to providing some financial support to learning and skills development, including organisational and management development through their grants and funding mechanisms.

5.2.5          A methodology will be established by which companies are able to use the functional map and national occupational standards for organisational development, succession planning and for re-structuring.

5.2.6          Skills audits will be carried out on a regular basis in many companies in the industry and training records will be established as part of the human resource function.

5.2.7          A training network will be in place to provide training and development opportunities to companies within identified clusters.

5.2.8          Up-to-date labour market intelligence will be available and will be used by all relevant stakeholders.

5.2.9          The Ceramic NTO will be better informed of industry needs and developments across the UK to inform future strategies.

5.3               Basic skills, key skills and personal skills

5.3.1          A methodology will be established to identify the basic skills, key skills, and personal skills of the existing workforce.

5.3.2          There will be a measurable increase in the availability of and support for basic skills, key skills and personal skills training.

5.3.3          There will be a measurable increase in the achievement of basic skills and key skills by school leavers.

5.3.4     The careers service and local schools will use ceramic product related projects as a vehicle to deliver basic skills and key skills learning.

5.4.       NVQs/Modern Apprenticeships/Investors in People

5.4.1          There will be a measurable increase in the take-up of Modern Apprenticeships, National Traineeships by young people.

5.4.2          A multi-company apprenticeship programme will be available.

5.4.3          Achievement of the Modern Apprenticeship in the industry will be recognised for progression into higher education.

5.4.4          There will be a measurable increase in the number of NVQ/SVQ achievements each year.

5.4.5          Support will be available for the achievement of some of the component criteria of the Investor in People award.

5.4.6          There will be a measurable increase in the number of organisations that have adopted relevant quality systems and those who are committed to achieving the Investor in People award – or component parts thereof.

5.4.7          Companies will demonstrate their support for the Continuing Personal Development programme which is established in the industry.

5.5               Resources

5.5.1          One single body will be established with responsibility for education, training and vocational qualifications in the industry.

5.5.2          The Ceramic NTO will host an interactive website holding and constantly updating, a range of relevant and strategic information and guidance materials to develop learning and skills in the industry.

5.5.3          A wide range of training courses will be available on-line through Learndirect and there will be a year-on-year increase of the number of users. 

5.5.4          A number of training centres will be established through which learners can access direct support in using on-line training.

5.5.5          A multi-company collaborative approach will be in place through which schools organise visits, talks and other support for young people seeking careers anywhere in the industry.

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