In partnership with the science industries, Cogent Skills has established a skills benchmark for best practice, the Cogent Gold Standard framework. This skills benchmark has been designed by industry. It details the skills required to do, and perform, industry job role and provides a sound basis for workforce development.

Over 30 industry Gold Standards are available across the science industries.

By adopting the Gold Standard Framework, employers can be confident that their skills have been benchmarked to a national, industry-led standard.

Gold Standard Workshop

During the Gold Standard workshop we will work with you to develop a maximum of three Gold Standard Competence Profiles based on key job roles you have identified, detailing the competence requirements for each of the identified roles. After the job roles have been identified, a training needs analysis will be undertaken with the results being compared against your new Company Gold Standards. Once created, the Gold Standards belong to you and can be used in a variety of ways; for appraisals, recruitment and succession planning, development discussion, setting aspirational targets and performance reviews.

Gold Standard Benchmarking

The Industry Gold Standard Benchmarking programme compares your workforce capability against the relevant industry Gold Standard.

The benchmarking process enables you to compare your performance standards, skills and training with best practice identified by the industry. This can provide vital assurances that your investment in skills is hitting all the right targets, as well as identifying any gaps. The resulting gap analysis will enable you to identify priority training. Support is available from Cogent Skills Services to meet your training requirements through our extensive assured training provider network.

Company Gold Standard Benchmarking

Having previously developed your Company Gold Standards. The benchmarking process will enable you to compare your performance standards, skills, training and assessment practises with the levels of competence you expect. You will also be given a framework which will allow you to develop a consistent level of skills across the business.

Course Mapping and Certification

Medicinal Products – Responsible Persons

Cogent Skills alongside the MHRA* have developed a new Gold Standard role profile for Responsible Person in Medicinal Products which in turn has led to the agreement of a training standard which is recognised by the MHRA.

The Responsible Person Gold Standard sets out an industry agreed framework that identifies the skills required by a Responsible Person in four skills areas. This spread of skills ensures that the role includes not only the traditional qualifications and technical requirements but also the behavioural skills required to do the job to a high standard. These include business improvement, leadership and communication.

The training standard shows what good training entails to meet the Gold Standard competencies. Cogent Skills can now offer official recognition that your training meets these standards, as well as provide certificates which will feature the MHRA logo to individuals who have undertaken the assured Gold Standard training.