June 28, 2024 Industry Forum Blog, News NEW COURSE INTRODUCTORY OFFER – ISO 45001:2018 Internal Auditor Training This course will help auditors develop relevant skills in judgement, decision-making, audit planning, audit non-conformity writing and subsequent close-out related to the ISO 45001:2018 standard. The ISO 45001:2018 Internal Auditor Training is an interactive course supported by group exercises and open discussion. The practical emphasis of this course and high tutor-to-delegate ratio provides a great opportunity for individual guidance, support and learning. Don’t miss this offer, book your place here…
June 13, 2024 Automotive, News We are thrilled to partner with HORIBA MIRA, a leader in automotive training. Their unparalleled expertise delivers exceptional scheduled and custom courses in Functional Safety, Electric Vehicles, and Cybersecurity. Led by industry specialists, these courses connect the next generation of engineers with professionals setting the highest standards in vehicle R&D. With new options added regularly, explore their current offerings or contact them for personalised guidance. View current courses: https://lnkd.in/gQ3BVMQ6 Together with Horiba Mira, we offer tailored training to tackle your unique challenges. Collaboratively, we design courses and materials focused on your team’s needs and growth areas, ensuring a learning experience that maximizes long-term success. Contact us to discuss your training needs.
May 30, 2024 Aerospace, News He joins us from his previous role working at an aerospace systems provider as a Principal Manufacturing Quality Engineer where he delivered training in APQP and PAPP, and the associated core tools, followed by in-house consultancy to assist in the implementation of such techniques, including the development of internal standards and procedures. Before that role, Joseph was a metrologist at an automotive OEM, conducting measurements to support the manufacturing process. He then moved to support the NPI phase of the business, before working as the metrology laboratory supervisor, including supporting warranty investigations and one-off specialist measurements. Joseph participates in the National Metrology Skills Alliance, where he performs a voluntary role in the special interest group to offer manufacturing metrology expertise. Welcome to the team Joseph.
April 10, 2024 Industry Forum Blog, News As part of the SMMT Group, we are really proud that The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has been recognised as one of Britain’s best places to work after gaining Gold accreditation from Investors in People (IIP), the international benchmark for workplace standards and people management. The Gold accolade, which is achieved by just 17% of organisations seeking IIP accreditation, was awarded to SMMT Group – including SMMT, Industry Forum and The Motor Ombudsman – for its ‘advanced’ levels of organisational leadership, with an emphasis on transparency, recognition, wellbeing and empowerment to encourage innovation and collaborative working. SMMT was recognised for its progressive people-focused policies, including all-staff engagement in decision-making, investment in career development, creating a culture that recognises high performance, developing flexible working practices, establishing an extensive network of employee support groups, and striving to ensure the workplace is diverse and inclusive of all needs. In addition, as part of SMMT’s remit to represent the UK automotive sector, the organisation was recognised for its committed to promoting workplace best practice across the wider industry. In 2022, under the auspices of the Automotive Council, it established the sector’s first ever Diversity Charter, and it continues to support businesses in the sector with their own development, with a DE&I Toolkit, specialist workshops and events. Katie Milbourn, Director of SMMT Group HR, said, “Every one of us at SMMT is essential to the Group’s success, so we support and develop everyone’s talents to help each other – and the wider sector – continue to thrive. As the voice of the automotive industry in the UK, it’s our duty and mission to set the highest standards, and we strive to ensure our people, with their expertise, experience and dedication, realise their full potential and support our members.” Tim Little, Practitioner, Investors in People, said, “Following the Investors in People programme is a journey SMMT started quite a few years ago, and the organisation’s drive, foresight and determination have kept it on the path to success and achieving Gold. SMMT has embraced IIP as a force for growth and put it at the heart of what it does. It’s been an absolute pleasure working with SMMT and watching its successes over the years.” IIP Gold status builds on SMMT Group’s previous Bronze and Silver awards in 2015 and 2022, and reflects the organisation’s long-standing commitment to the highest standards of people management. Such an approach is essential not just to attract and retain the best talent but to enhance mental health and wellbeing in the workplace – particularly important given that stress, anxiety and depression accounted for more than half of all workplace-related illness in the UK last year. Investors in People was founded by the UK government in 1991 and has since become a globally recognised certification of best practice for modern, high performing workplaces. The scheme requires an organisation to work closely with a practitioner to review its ‘people strategy’ – or its policies to attract, develop, retain, inspire and engage employees – as well as its long-term progress plan. The review also requires anonymous employee feedback on the organisation’s people strategy through surveys and interviews.
January 24, 2024 News In an era where organisations are placing an increased emphasis on workplace well-being and safety, the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) has introduced the ISO 45001:2018 standard to set a new benchmark for occupational health and safety management systems. This groundbreaking standard is designed to empower organisations to prioritise the welfare of their workforce and create a safer working environment.Recently, the Council of the EU and the European Parliament reached a provisional political agreement on the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (“CSDDD”). This new major piece of EU legislation will require that EU and non-EU companies conduct environmental and human rights due diligence across their operations, subsidiaries, and value chains. Implementing ISO45001:2018 supports the human rights due diligence of this far-reaching legislation.ISO45001:2018 was developed with the aim of providing a robust framework that organisations can adopt to proactively manage occupational health and safety risks. It aligns seamlessly with other ISO management system standards, making integration into existing management systems a more straightforward process.To support organisations with implementing ISO45001:2018 SMMT Industry Forum has created two training courses – a one day Essentials Training Course and a two-day Internal Auditor Course.The Essentials Training course is designed to help leaders understand how ISO45001:2018 provides structure to their already existing occupational health and safety obligations. It will help them identify the steps they need to take to implement the standard into their organisations.The two-day internal auditor course will provide internal auditors with an understanding of the standard and the skills required to successfully carry out internal audits and support their organisations with external audits.The courses will be delivered by one of our senior consultants, Sarah Grainger. Sarah has recently returned to the UK after living and working for BMW AG in Munich, Germany for 12 years. She spent the last fours years at BMW managing the global Occupational Health and Safety Management System and so has extensive audit experience in the German and International production plants as well as experience implementing this management system in locations working towards their initial certification. The courses are available to book online:Essentials Training ISO 45001:2018 Essentials Training Internal Auditor ISO 45001:2018 Internal Auditor Training SMMT Industry Forum can also deliver this training in house at your location. For such training enquiries please contact: [email protected].
January 23, 2024 Industry Forum Blog, News SMMT Industry Forum is active globally supporting automotive manufacturing, bringing best practices and expertise honed over decades to new and expanding markets. Our CEO Ashley Fernihough is currently on a Trade Mission in Ghana to support discussion on increasing new automotive trade in the country. We look forward to sharing his experience and thoughts on how global manufacturing can benefit from shared knowledge exchange.
December 15, 2023 News Industry Forum (IF), the manufacturing training subsidiary of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), and WMG at the University of Warwick, have today announced a new partnership to develop and deliver cutting-edge training solutions to help boost the competitiveness of manufacturers across the UK. The collaboration harnesses IF’s proven success in growing productivity and profitability of businesses across the automotive, aerospace, and other industries, and WMG at the University of Warwick’s expertise in helping companies across multiple sectors to turn ideas into commercial realities. It is set to help manufacturers, from start-up to multinational, to boost their competitiveness and growth potential as all sectors undergo radical transformation to deliver next generation electrified and automated technologies. The venture will give manufacturers across a range of industrial sectors access to development opportunities to enable them to conceive, design, prototype, market and, ultimately, deliver cutting-edge supply chain solutions to OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers). It will also support OEMs to integrate new technologies and processes into their own operations, making them agile and resilient. Ashley Fernihough, Industry Forum Chief Executive, said: “Industry Forum has a track record in helping companies to upskill, reskill and accelerate productivity and profitability – and at this pivotal time for the UK’s critical manufacturing sectors, we’re delighted to partner with WMG to take our training offering to the next level. Together we will help to harness ideas, innovation, and skills across the industrial spectrum, unlocking their commercial potential to deliver growth and global success.” Dr Ben Silverstone, Head of WMG Skills Centre, said: “WMG and Industry Forum have partnered to create world-leading operational and technical training solutions for UK Industry. With a rich heritage in enabling the UK automotive industry to meet the challenges of the future, together we will make use of the wealth of previous experience to make it easier for manufacturers from a range of industrial sectors to access the training they need to allow them to continue to compete in a rapidly and ever-changing market.”
December 1, 2023 Automotive, Events, News SMMT Industry Forum was delighted to attend the 106th SMMT Annual Dinner this week as one of the most prestigious events in the automotive calendar. Addressing industry leaders and politicians Alison Jones, SMMT President and Senior Vice President Global Circular Economy, Stellantis, praised the industry’s resilience and commitment to green growth, saying, As an industry, we have moved forward despite the instability, despite legislative uncertainty, inflation and geopolitical risk. The industry has backed itself with big decisions on big investments to guarantee jobs and our future. We have seen major commitments in battery production, lithium mining, vehicle manufacturing, R&D and the aftermarket. Such investment – and our ability to remain competitive – is key to the continuation of a strong UK manufacturing base and a sector that sustains nearly a million livelihoods. Nusrat Ghani MP, Minister of State for Industry and Economic Security spoke to welcome the recent investments in UK Automotive in 2023 We started this year with quite a few challenges and obstacles ahead of us. But with a joint effort we are finishing on a high point as one of the most successful years in our recent history The special guest speaker was The Rt Hon Rory Stewart OBE talking about his time in government and the outlook for the political landscape in 2024 and beyond. Some of Britain’s biggest automotive companies pledged that women will represent 30% of their workforce within the next six years, in a bid to drive gender diversity across all roles and levels. The commitment by the Automotive Council, whose members represent 99% of British vehicle manufacturing and half of the UK’s automotive workforce, is a significant short-term challenge given that just under 20% of the sector’s workforce is today female. The Council also launched a new best practice guide, Shifting Gears: How to better recruit and retain women in the UK automotive sector, to provide forward-thinking businesses across the industry – from car and commercial vehicle manufacturing to supply chain and the aftermarket – with the tools needed to improve gender diversity across all levels. It was a fantastic event providing much-needed industry insights and an opportunity to meet representatives across the automotive industry.
November 24, 2023 News, Total Productive Maintenance It was an honour to host the delegation over from the Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance (JIPM) this month. JIPM were the originator of the TPM framework back in 1970 and continued to lead the world ever since. Here at SMMT Industry Forum, we are 1 of only 6 JIPM Associate Agencies globally delivering the TPM Award and only 1 of only 4 consultancies globally licensed to practice JIPM TPM consultancy and training. We hold the distinction of being the only UK and European consultancy to have a consultant in our team who is TPM Black Belt certified by JIPM. We look forward to developing ever closer ties in the years ahead and continue to promote and deliver best practices to the highest standards.
February 18, 2021 News Published: 18/02/2021 So much has changed over the last year. Workforces and skills are transitioning, as are the ways in which we want to access training and development. We want to make sure Industry Forum training products are as closely aligned as possible to your needs and preferences. We’d like to ask you a few questions about training at your organisation. It’ll only take 5 minutes, and as a thank you, you’ll be entered into a draw to win a £50 John Lewis voucher*! Your answers will be treated strictly confidentially; neither you nor your organisation will be named. If you have a question or a more detailed response to share, please do email Beth Osborne, General Manager – Marketing / CX on [email protected] Competition Terms and Conditions: There is no cash alternative. The prize is not transferable. The competition is not open to any employees of SMMT, TMO or SMMT Industry Forum or their direct family members including mother, father, sibling, child, grandparent, or partner. Only one entry per person, and entrance is dependent on the provision of a work email address. Entry is via this survey only, which must include a completed survey submitted by 31st March 2021. The winners will be notified via email within fourteen days of the closing date of this survey (during April 2021). This competition is open to residents of the United Kingdom only.
