Written evidence submitted by Babcock Marine
SCOTTISH AFFAIRS SELECT COMMITTEE, JANUARY 2008—ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Q91—Training support
A craft Modern Apprenticeship for Babcock at Rosyth costs in the order of £12,800.
Via Scottish Enterprise (Fife), we currently receive the standard contribution towards Modern Apprenticeships and also support for SVQ level 2 training for under 20 year-olds. This means that, for those classed as adults, ie over 20 years old, only 50% (£4,500) of the normal grant is available, and there is no financial support for SVQ Level 2.
This funding structure does not appear to align with the Scottish, or indeed National, Government strategy of getting unemployed adults back to work, nor does it encourage business to recruit from that part of the labour pool and develop their skills. Further support for adults would encourage business to align with Government objectives in this area.
Whilst businesses will always look for more support for training costs in general, lifelong learning is a government strategy and perhaps a review of how best the private and public sectors can work to achieve workforce upskilling would be relevant. This review could be informed and assisted by the work of Sector Skills Councils and their ongoing Action Plans.
Q132—IPR
The industry members of the Alliance have agreed between themselves and with the MOD that all intellectual property rights (IPR) created under the CVF project will be owned jointly by BAE and Thales, as the parties who worked on the original design concept, but that all the industry members will be licensed to use the IPR not only for the purpose of carrying out the manufacture of the carriers but also for the purpose of any support of the two vessels in the future.
Many of the skills which will be acquired by members' workforces under the project will fall into the category of general know how and capability which will not be in any way restricted from being applied in the future on other marine projects.
Ken Munro
Babcock Engineering
20 February 2008
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