In an effort to stand by the workers of Lindsey Oil Refinery in North Killingholme, which is currently facing difficulties, a government-funded training guarantee scheme has been unveiled. The refinery, which is under the ownership of the Prax Group, went into liquidation in June, jeopardising a number of jobs. The DN Colleges Group, which is leading the training initiative, has outlined plans to offer a variety of courses that align with the workers’ skills and career goals, complemented by sessions with a skills advisor. This programme is designed to ready the employees for roles in a range of sectors, with a clear focus on those directly employed by the refinery.
A dedicated website is due to be launched in the middle of September, encouraging workers to enrol for courses in areas such as HGV, renewable energy technologies, and health and safety. Though the training guarantee is connected to the gradual closure of the refinery, there is still hope. At a recent rally, Sharon Graham of the Unite union mentioned that 11 serious bids are currently being reviewed for the future of the site. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero expressed regret over the workers’ situation and promised to collaborate with unions to offer support. In the meanwhile, the Official Receiver is actively engaging with prospective buyers to negotiate a business sale.
The financial challenges of the refinery have been highlighted by its parent company Prax, which recorded losses of around £75 million over a period of three years. A UK court has subsequently frozen £150 million of assets owned by Winston Soosaipillai, who owns Prax Lindsey Oil Refinery. The workers continue to call for immediate governmental intervention to keep the refinery running, instead of it being broken down into parts.
This story was developed by The Lincoln Post using original reporting from www.bbc.com.
