What does Cogent do?
Cogent is the expert, employer-led body delivering UK-wide strategic solutions to the skills needs of the petroleum, chemicals, nuclear, oil and gas and polymer industries. We advise on the skills and qualifications necessary for people and businesses to perform safely, effectively and profitably. We develop and maintain occupational standards, provide skills audits and development plans, manage apprenticeship frameworks, and provide a competence assurance service for businesses. We provide Labour Market Information on national, regional and specific industry trends and demographics, and conduct bespoke research and scenario building exercises.
From extraction to everyday use.
The Cogent industries form a strategically important sector. Our footprint covers over 19,000 employers and 850,000 people. The Cogent industries produce the energy for the UK’s industries, for our transport systems and our homes.
They produce hundreds of essentials for our daily lives, from petroleum and plastics through to rubber, synthetic fibres for our clothing and crucial chemical additives and pharmaceuticals.
The challenge to be green clean and lean
These industries face considerable challenge from global competition and the requirement to be safe, clean and green and sustainable, and the need to produce new and better products. All of our industries are underpinned by science, technology and engineering and these are areas in which the UK has always excelled.
What will your generation discover and develop?
There is a constant demand for thousands of people to become the next generation of scientists, engineers and production operatives, supervisors, designers, managers, technicians and industry leaders.
Cogent is working with industry, with schools, colleges, universities and training providers to develop a UK-wide skills strategy that will give students and existing employees the best opportunities to increase their knowledge and skills and apply them in satisfying and rewarding careers.
Cogent is here to help you.
This website is part of the support that we are offering and constantly developing to support young people and individuals to make the best informed career choices. We want to help you gain the skills and qualifications and experience that will make you a valuable employee, to help our businesses to grow and innovate.
I hope you find this service helpful. We welcome any useful suggestions on how we can improve or expand it, and you can provide feedback here.
Joanna Woolf Chief Executive.
Cogent’s background:
Cogent is part of a network established in 2001 to take over from National Training Organisations (NTOs). There are currently 25 SSCs in operation and several others in development, covering all key UK industries. SSCs, together with the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA), form the Skills for Business (SfB) network, the purpose of which is to bring employers centre-stage in articulating their skills needs and delivering skills-based improvements to productivity.
Cogent's objectives:
- To improve productivity and business performance through skills development
- To reduce skills gaps and shortages
- To increase opportunities to boost skills and productivity
- To influence skills supply across the spectrum, including apprenticeships, higher education and national occupational standards
For further information about the scope of Cogent's work, to understand the skills landscape and to see our objectives, our strategy and programmes visit our corporate website.