First meeting of new Industry Skills Alliance
4th March 2026
UK: The Institute of Refrigeration is to hold an inaugural meeting of its recently announced Industry Skills Alliance training initiative next month at Bitzer UK’s HQ in Milton Keynes.
The Industry Skills Alliance, first announced at last month’s Institute of Refrigeration dinner in London, is proposed as a collaborative forum of employers, educators, trainers and other stakeholders to share insight and ensure training provision is aligned with real industry needs.
The inaugural meeting will be open to all, and will include a series of talks outlining the alliance’s purpose and strategic objectives. It will be supported by structured breakout sessions focused on topics including talent acquisition, qualifications, and employer engagement.
The IOR says that these discussions will encourage the exchange of ideas and play a central role in shaping the alliance’s future direction.
Andrew Bowden, MD of J&E Hall and Mark Harris, study programme manager at The Cornwall College Group, have been appointed as co-chairs of the new Alliance.
The Skills Alliance Launch will be held on 28 April 2026 from 09:30 – 14:30. It will include lunch, time for networking and the opportunity of a site tour of Bitzer UK’s facility.
Registration and further details are available on the IOR website.
