WIREDGOV

The Scottish Government will fund 350 workers at ExxonMobil's Mossmorran ethylene plant to receive training and employment support at Fife College before the first workers are made redundant, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes has announced.

Fife College will use the investment of up to £1.3 million to offer ExxonMobil 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 £9 million 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.

Ahead of meetings to update MSPs and unions on Mossmorran yesterday, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes 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.”

Background

A new Economic Impact Assessment by PwC indicates the plant contributed £92.5 million to the Scottish economy and supported 477 full-time jobs across Scotland in 2025. PwC's report is available to read online.

Training will take place at Fife College's Dunfermline campus, four miles from the plant.

The second meeting of the Fife Council-led Mossmorran taskforce takes place on Monday 23 March.