The employer-led Engineering Construction Employer Ownership Pilot Welding programme was launched in 2013 with £2.5 million of industry and £2.5 million of government funding. The programme was a collaboration between several companies including TEi LTd. The scheme has so far trained more than 225 welders to work in the nuclear, oil, gas and energy sectors.
To celebrate the achievements of this successful industry-government collaboration, there was an event in London on 18 March 2015. The Skills minister Nick Boles said: “I’m delighted with the achievements of this programme. A college or training provider can never really understand exactly the skills needed to make someone ready to put on the line and not require constant supervision. The only technical skills training that has real value to the individual is driven by and designed by employers.
“While good high quality training has to be provided through an employer, there are sectors where they can’t be certain enough to make those investments on their own, which is why we have training boards and levies.
