Philip Jones has become the new ceo of the National Skills Academy, taking over from interim ceo Craig Crowther, who for the past year has steered the organisation through its planning and approval phase.
The organisation aims to work alongside employers, training providers and education centres to address the skills shortages facing the UK's £67bn process industries.
Supporting Jones is new business development manager Ian Mains, a former senior executive at Aesica Pharmaceuticals in Cramlington, Northumberland. Former Cogent director of research and policy Liz Rooney, who has been on secondment to the Skills Academy for the past year, working on its business plan and that of the National Skills Academy Nuclear, takes up the post of skills development manager. Also joining the new team is network development manager Neil Smith, who joins from his former post as skills development manager of the Learning & Skills Council, North West Region. He will be responsible for developing the provider network for the industry sector.