EXTRA support to help former workers at the closed Grangemouth oil refinery has been announced.
The Scottish and UK Governments announced on Tuesday that former Ineos employees who were impacted by the closure of the refinery will receive additional support from Forth Valley College to develop skills and help them transition into new jobs.
Both governments say they have already invested a combined £2 million into helping more than 300 Grangemouth workers who were made redundant access careers advice and training.
However, last week, union officials accused Keir Starmer of “failing to deliver” on a promise of £200 million worth of investment to protect the future of Grangemouth.
In an open letter, Unite the Union accused the UK Government of not spending “one penny” of the promised investment on Grangemouth, despite committing to do so six months ago.
The Grangemouth refinery ceased producing crude oil in late April, leading to the loss of more than 400 jobs at the site, with hundreds of roles within the supply chain also being axed.
Climate Action and Energy Secretary Gillian Martin said Tuesday’s announcement helps support the Scottish Government’s goal of becoming a global leader in green energy and sustainable manufacturing by helping the former oil workers transition into new roles.
She said: “It is vital that we do what we can as a government to support and promote local opportunities and growth in the Grangemouth area.
“As Scotland’s leading industrial cluster, Grangemouth has long played a vital role to our economy and bringing energy security to the country and it is only right it continues to help lead the way in our journey to net zero through new, green energy opportunities.
“This funding will help affected workers move into sectors such as offshore and onshore wind, hydrogen and carbon capture.”
Workers have been offered a range of training opportunities, including renewable energy upskilling courses and wind turbine engineering courses, supported by the UK and Scottish Governments.
It is hoped the courses will provide the former refinery workers with the vital skills needed to secure new jobs, including in the renewable energy sector.
A recent Strathclyde University study found that Scotland’s renewable energy industry and its supply chain supported more than 47,000 jobs and generated £15.5 billion of output in 2022.
Unite Scottish Secretary Derek Thomson welcomed the support but added the union will continue to “encourage” both governments, public bodies and companies to help deliver a “Just Transition” for Grangemouth workers.
He said: “The additional support for Grangemouth based workers will deliver targeted assistance for those facing redundancy due to the closure of the oil refinery. The investment by the Scottish and UK governments for retraining will provide INEOS workers with some reassurance that they are not being left behind.
“It will help support them for new job opportunities in the wider energy sector. Unite will continue to do all we can to encourage government, public bodies and companies to deliver a Just Transition for Grangemouth workers and this investment is a step forward in that campaign.”
Minister for Energy Michael Shanks added that the training will help equip workers with the skills to transition into new sectors of the energy industry.
He said: “We want to ensure workers directly affected by the closure of Grangemouth refinery get the tailored support they are entitled to, with over 300 already receiving advice and training to help them into new employment opportunities.
“This training guarantee will equip this highly skilled workforce to transfer their experience into new sectors as Scotland continues to lead the way in the UK’s clean energy future, alongside our ongoing work to secure long-term industrial future at the Grangemouth site.”
