Mossmorran: training & funding package to support 350 workers at axed plant
Funding has been secured to give hundreds of Mossmorran workers training and employment support.
The Scottish Government will foot the bill to help staff at the axed Fife Ethylene Plant, which closed its doors in February after 40 years in operation.
Some 350 employees will now get support at at Fife College before the first workers are made redundant.
The announcement was made by Kate Forbes MSP, Deputy First Minister, who visited the plant earlier this year after ExxonMobil’s closure decision was made public.
Fife College will use the investment of up to £1.3million to offer employees and contractors courses in areas such as engineering, project management and health and safety alongside practical support with CVs, job applications and interviews. Courses will be tailored to individual skills assessments.
Funding for the project is part of a wider £9million investment pledged by the Scottish Government over three years to help the workforce and secure a long-term future for the Mossmorran site.
It builds on work already underway at Forth Valley College to help seven skilled workers without formal qualifications gain accreditation through a 12-week programme funded by the Scottish Government.
Ms Forbes was due to update politicians and trades unions today (Thursday) on the support package.
She said: “The workers at Mossmorran have made a significant contribution to Scotland's economy and we are determined to make sure their skills are not lost. We will not allow these workers to be left behind.
"That’s why we have acted quickly to ensure support is in place before the first redundancies in April. This builds on the skills and employment support already provided as part of our determination to ensure a prosperous and secure future for the workforce. The UK Government must now match our commitment to help the staff affected by the closure – they cannot stand idly by while these jobs are lost.”
The latest economic impact assessment by PwC indicated the plant contributed £92.5 million to the Scottish economy and supported 477 full-time jobs across the country in 2025.
The support comes ahead of the next meeting of the Fife Council led Mossmorran taskforce on Monday, March 23.