Former PESC now elevated to the status of a national training organisation

Citation

(1998), "Former PESC now elevated to the status of a national training organisation", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 50 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/ilt.1998.01850fab.010

Former PESC now elevated to the status of a national training organisation

Former PESC now elevated to the status of a national training organisation

Keywords: NVQ, PESC

In 1996 the Government launched a new policy to set up National Training Organisations (NTOs) covering all industries and occupations. NTOs would provide a single network combining the roles and activities currently carried out by the 178 Industry Training Organisations, Industry Lead Bodies and Occupational Standard Councils operating at that time. Their critically important task would be to raise skill levels and achieve the national education and training targets necessary to boost the UK's competitiveness. The Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) identified a series of critical criteria for organisations seeking to gain NTO status, and their key activities would be to:

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  promote to employers the business case for education, training, competence and qualifications as central to competitive business performance;

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  assess and respond to the education, training and development needs of the sector and its employees;

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  represent sector education and training interests to Government;

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  seek to influence and positively respond to national initiatives;

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  develop, review and implement national occupational standards especially for NVQs.

Previous issues of this journal have referred to the collaborative work undertaken by the British Lubricants Federation (BLF) and the Petroleum Employers Skills Council (PESC) in developing an NVQ for Lubricant Plant Operators. However, it was recognised at an early stage that the achievement of a higher-profile NTO status by PESC would bring a number of benefits, including long-term stability, continued Government funding and also improvements in the representation of employers interest to Government. Under the plan put to the DfEE, PESC would change its name to PINTO (Petroleum Industry National Training Organisation) and be a standalone company limited by guarantee. Letters of support were received from:

AUKOI: Association of UK Oil IndependentsBLF: British Lubricants FederationFPS: Federation of Petroleum SuppliersITSA: Independent Tank Storage AssociationOFTEC: Oil Firing Technical AssociationPITAS: Petroleum Industry Training Association ScotlandPRA: Petrol Retailers AssociationMPA: Meter Proving AssociationRBA: Refined Bitumen AsociationUKPIA: United Kingdom Petroleum Industry Association

The Business Plan and Workplan identified the aspirations of PINTO.

Although the route to recognition has taken longer than originally envisaged, at the time of going to press an informal agreement had been reached in that recommendation had been forwarded by DfEE to the Secretary of State to the effect that NTO status be accorded. This can only ease the recognition, development and uptake of the Lubricants Plant Operations NVQ and improve skill levels in the lubricants.