U.K. Eyes Growth, Apprenticeship Plan

The Chemical Industries Association, a U.K. trade association, wants to increase the value its members bring to the U.K. economy by 50% to $300 billion by 2030. It sees domestic fracking for natural gas as a key enabler of growth along with the creation of a center to foster innovation. Separately, the association plans an industry-wide apprenticeship program with the help of $53 million in funding from the U.K. government. The scheme, among other goals, aims to ameliorate the shortage of technicians in the sector by working with universities to create chemistry-related vocational courses.