About Cogent Skills
We are the sector owned and employer led skills body for the science industries that innovate, generate and make – high value sectors that employ more than half a million people driving the UK’s industrial growth and net zero transition.
We unite leading employers through collaborative employer groups across life and industrial sciences, nuclear and low carbon. These forums help identify key skills issues, which we then work with employers and government to address, using our own labour market insights.
Our work is funded through our commercial activity, which delivers a wide range of market-leading skills services – from end-to-end apprenticeship services for some of the world’s leading science companies to high-hazard training and regulated qualifications.
What are some key projects Cogent Skills is focusing on currently?
Most recently, we have delivered the Hydrogen and Carbon Capture Skills Accelerator, which demonstrates how industry, government and regional partners can collaborate to build critical skills, strengthen regional capability, and create the conditions for large scale deployment.
We’re supporting the Nuclear sector through the Nuclear Workforce Assessment which gives industry a clear, trusted picture of the nuclear workforce. This work is helping the sector make informed investment decisions and build a sustainable talent pipeline at a pivotal moment for UK nuclear.
Across the group we continue to support employers by developing essential training for people entering and progressing within our science‑based industries, and we’re are also working with our employer collaborations to make the case for skills reforms that place employer needs at their heart.
Can you tell us about your impact so far?
Our research first identified the need for 40,000 new jobs by 2030 in UK nuclear – and we’ve delivered transformational skills programmes across the sector, which is vital to providing clean energy and maintaining national security.
We’ve trained more than 1,000 ambassadors to promote careers in science and inspire the next generation of talent, and we’re continuing to provide robust labour market intelligence to guide strategic decision making on skills for employers of all sizes across the sector.
And more than 11,000 apprentices have now been trained using the standards we’ve helped support. This work continues as the standards evolve to reflect the changing needs of industry.
What recent achievements of your organisation are you most proud of?
Cogent Skills has supported the development of range of new apprenticeship standards to support our industries to develop highly-skilled technicians, including those critical in delivering clean growth.
With the commitment of industry partners we’ve developed standards to enable life science, chemicals, polymer, battery manufacturing and bulk storage terminal companies to offer apprenticeships which target their specific skills needs.
We also supported the first set of National Occupational Standards (NOS) for Hydrogen and have developed Hydrogen and Carbon Capture Skills Frameworks that identify key occupations and sector-specific competencies.
The continued success of our commercial operations means we are ideally placed to continue supporting our sector through our charitable activity.
What role do you see Cogent Skills playing in the future of your industry?
The UK science and technology sector has a pivotal role to play in driving growth and supporting the net zero transition. Understanding the skills requirements and addressing any gaps – whether by attracting new and emerging talent or through upskilling the existing workforce – is absolutely critical.
We’re focused on helping ensure employers have the right skills in the right places, harnessing the enormous potential for science and technology to deliver the clean growth now and long into the future.