A NATIONAL training academy to ease the skills shortage in the process industries sector will be based in the North-East.

More than 40 businesses from the sector have contributed more than £1m to the National Skills Academy Process Industries (NSAPI) to help develop an improved training infrastructure across the UK.

The scheme is being centred in the North-East, which is seen as the hub of the UK sector, with its growing presence on Teesside expected to play a major role in increasing the value of the national process industry from £9bn to £15bn in the next five years.

The sector accounts for about 25 per cent of the regional economy, and more than 60 per cent of that for Teesside.

It employs 34,000 people directly in the North-East, and is thought to underpin another 280,000 in related industries.

NSAPI will work with employers to develop a gold standard for the industry to use as a benchmark for employee training, as a means of helping companies increase the skills of their workforce. It is expected to become fully operational in September.

Craig Crowther, project director of NSAPI, said the competition for skilled workers in all sectors, both within the UK and overseas, had been crucial in the creation of the academy.

"The hub is based in the North-East and will provide national co-ordination, and several regional offshoots are designed to meet the differing requirements of each part of the country," he said.

"Through NSAPI, we aim to work with employers to develop a sound training infrastructure and strong relations with training and educational bodies to create the globally competitive workforce the UK wants and needs."

Companies that are already supporting the academy include SembCorp Utilities UK, Johnson Matthey, Innospec Specialty Chemicals, Banner Chemicals and Solutia UK.

The process industry sector includes the key areas of chemicals, pharmaceutical manufacture, and polymer processing, and helps supply vital products, such as medication and the construction materials for energy efficient living.

Mr Crowther called on more companies to back the academy. "The problem is that the process industries are struggling to find staff with specialist skills that are sector-specific. NSAPI is setting itself the challenge of tackling this head on," he said.

"We are looking forward to helping businesses and their workforce achieve a globally competitive sector-focused skill."

A ministerial announcement on the approval of the academy's business plan is expected next month.