Essar Oil (UK) Ltd’s Stanlow Refinery was a winner at this year’s Chemical Industry Association national awards, held recently at Lancashire Cricket Club’s Old Trafford ground. The Essar maintenance team took home the Gold Standard Skills Award 2014 sponsored by the Cogent and National Skill Academy Process Industries, in recognition of the work done to contribute to the acquisition of skills by the company’s workforce.
The judges praised the work undertaken, with the competency matrix, grade progression process and regulatory matrices ensuring competency was monitored, maintained and developed. They also highlighted the fact that technicians were motivated, competent and worked well as a team.
The training programme was developed with the co-operation of the entire work force, and implemented alongside the new Union endorsed grade progression development processes. These have given clear structure and outlined precise levels of competencies that individuals require to develop in their current and future job roles.
Jon Mason, Site Manager at Stanlow, commented: “This is well deserved national recognition for everyone involved in developing such an impressive training programme which is already delivering real benefits to the refinery. Essars’s focus on building competency is a great investment in people, and another example of how we are looking to build a positive future for our business. Everyone involved can be proud and I know we have the same rigour throughout our Operations competency.”
