Brecon Pharmaceuticals, a leading supplier of commercial packaging and clinical trials supplies services for the pharmaceutical industry, has been accredited to the Cogent Gold Standard, a national framework for continuous professional development in key roles in the process industries.
Andrew Evans, Wales Manager for Cogent, presented the award to the Brecon team. He also made individual presentations to Brecon employees who have achieved qualifications ranging from NVQ levels 1 to 4, NEBOSH certificate, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and Brecon's own Certificate of Competence.
The prioritisation of skills has paid significant dividends at Hay-on-Wye-based Brecon, which has seen continued growth since its formation in 1980. The company numbers leading global pharmaceutical and biotech companies among its clients and recently hosted the world's only line for the automated production of the Burgopak sliding blister pack.
Cogent is the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for the chemicals and pharmaceuticals industries. It is one of 25 SSCs representing 90% of the UK workforce. Key objectives are to reduce the sector's skills gap, improve business performance, develop productivity and improve the development of apprenticeships, higher education and national occupational standards.
The Cogent Gold Standard sets out the technical, functional/behavioural, business improvement and compliance competencies required to fulfil key jobs.
Des Preece, Brecon's training and standards development manager, who has been instrumental in establishing the company as an approved centre for the award of National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs), believes the award will reinforce Brecon's reputation for excellence.
"We work in a standards-driven industry and the competence of our team is fundamental to the confidence our clients place in us," he says. "Furthermore, it's a sign that investment in skills training really does pay dividends: despite the troubled economic climate, Brecon continues to expand, having already increased its workforce by 10% in 2009."
