Former Grangemouth refinery workers get trained up for new roles

Employees are to receive one to one skills support from Forth Valley College to support their move into new, high-skilled roles.

The Petroineos refinery workers at Grangemouth are being actively supported through the Prime Minister’s commitment to a “training guarantee” to help secure new well-paid work, as part of the UK and Scottish Governments’ pledge to secure a future for those affected by the closure of the oil refinery.

After Petroineos confirmed plans to close the refinery, the government announcedd up to £10 million to provide new skills support that will help the site’s workers into good clean energy jobs, as well as supporting new energy projects in the region.

The “training guarantee” is now being delivered, with 184 out of 300 workers having now engaged in retraining activity with the majority of the remaining workforce registered for training.

Workers have been offered a wide range of training opportunities, including renewable energy upskilling courses and wind turbine engineering courses, paid for and supported by the UK and Scottish Governments.

This will provide them with the vital skills needed to secure new jobs, including in the clean energy sector – which currently supports more than 42,000 jobs in Scotland.

Minister for Energy Michael Shanks said: "The workforce at Grangemouth is highly skilled with significant transferrable experience which our training commitment recognises by providing tailored support for workers into new employment opportunities.

“As well as continuing to work to secure the site’s long-term industrial future, we want to ensure no worker is left behind and that they are equipped with the skills they need to secure good jobs. This is our Plan for Change in action.”

Scottish Secretary Ian Murray added: “We know this is a worrying time for workers and their families at Grangemouth. I am pleased more than 260 highly skilled workers have already received support from Forth Valley College thanks to funding from the UK Government as part of the £100 million Falkirk and Grangemouth Growth Deal package.

“By offering bespoke training in renewable energy and wind turbine engineering, we're not just supporting individual workers but also helping Scotland lead the way in clean energy jobs.”

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