The Glass Academy
British Glass has launched its own industry-led learning and skills development programme, ‘The Glass Academy’, designed to ensure the industry has the skills to be a world leader by 2020
The skills challenge
The combined UK turnover of glass manufacturers is approximately £1.7 billion and employs approximately 7,000 people directly plus many tens of thousands more in both customer and supplier industries. Glass making today is a hi-tech industry operating in a fiercely competitive global market where quality, design and service levels are critical to achieving and maintaining market share. Many aspects of our lives depend on glass manufacturers – from touch-screen technologies and components for computer chips to food and drink containers.
The industry has identified skills gaps in technical and ‘soft’ skills, due to the combination of an ageing work force allied with the difficulty in attracting young people into the industry. The industry needs a workforce that is properly trained and highly skilled in all aspects of manufacture, not just with the appropriate technical skills, but also with specialist commercial, management and leadership skills.
The UK glass industry faces a challenge in persuading school leavers (16-18 year old) that industry is a viable career choice. Presently there is no mechanism for the industry to easily promote itself to those making decisions about their academic future.
The solution
British Glass has launched its own industry-led learning and skills development programme, ‘The Glass Academy’, designed to ensure the industry has the skills to be a world leader by 2020. Already active, the Academy will create and deliver a range of innovative learning programmes across all levels of the industry and respond actively to its needs. Along with funding from the Employer Ownership Pilot, the Academy is co-financed by British Glass (British Glass Manufacturers’ Confederation) and member companies.
The Academy will co-ordinate Apprenticeships across the industry and its associated supply chain, whilst developing a range of more innovative and learner-led programmes to significantly improve upon the current provision. It will also offer new, higher level Apprenticeships targeted specifically at the future leaders of the manufacturing sector.
The industry also needs to ensure that it has a steady supply of young people with the skills and behaviours to give them the best chance of building a career. In order to make the industry attractive to students the Academy will design and deliver multimedia interventions that will support the key stage three (KS3) curriculum. The Academy will also work closely with schools, colleges, universities and businesses to offer well-structured and meaningful work placements and sandwich-courses within the industry. It will provide career opportunities to school and college leavers that are visible, attractive and tangible.
Impact
Through this innovative and industry led Academy, over 350 new Apprenticeships for 16 to 23 year olds and over 2,000 supporting programmes to enhance the skills of those already in more advanced positions, will be developed. These will vary from simple day, or two day events, to much more substantial interventions at levels up to and beyond a first degree.
The work with schools and other learning establishments will help ensure that the glass industry has a steady supply of young people with the skills and behaviours it needs and which will give individuals the best chance of building a long-term and fulfilling career.
Self-sustaining in subsequent years, the Academy will up-skill the sector to improve profitability and increase the competitiveness of UK manufacturing on the global stage.
Investment
Employer Investment: £2,519,129
Employer Ownership Pilot Funding: £2,735,159
Total: £5,254,288
