Food and drink manufacturing industry doubles apprenticeship opportunities

12 October 2011

The UK's food and drink manufacturing industry has pledged to create career opportunities and upskill its existing workforce by doubling the number of apprentices in the sector.

The announcement was made by BBC TV's The Apprentice winner Tim Campbell at the Food and Drink Federation's Community Partnership Awards today (12 October). He highlighted that currently the industry employs around 1700 apprentices but food and drink manufacturers are now pledging to double this to 3400 by the end of 2012.

Coming at a time when the industry is seeking to replace up to 137,000 skilled employees over the next five years, the pledge is also likely to be good news to individuals seeking a way to learn new skills and gain qualifications while building their careers. Food and drink manufacturers are not being asked to individually double their apprenticeship numbers but to contribute to FDF's collective pledge.

This year, FDF has been working to ensure that there are sufficient recruits into key functions of the industry including food science and engineering. It has launched 'Taste Success – A Future in Food', a campaign to make young people aware of the wide range of careers on offer and challenge perceptions about food manufacturing. It is also working with the sector skills council Improve and member companies to develop a specific food manufacturing engineering degree that will be launched within the next two years.

Speaking at the launch of the apprenticeship pledge, Tim Campbell said: “Food and drink is the UK's largest manufacturing industry and it is important that it develops and retains skilled people in order that it continues to flourish and support the country's economy. We need to create opportunities for young people to come in to the workforce through routes other than a degree path and I'm delighted to be able to announce a doubling of the apprenticeships on offer in future.”

FDF's Director of Competitiveness Angela Coleshill said: “We have been working to raise the profile of food and drink as a career of first choice and make sure that young people know about the exciting range of careers and good prospects on offer in our industry. In tandem with raising awareness, we need to be sure that we can match this with education and practical skills development and, ultimately, jobs.”

Notes:

For further information about FDF's careers campaign and skills work please visit www.fdf.org.uk/careers

The Community Partnership Awards took place at the Institute of Directors today to recognise the achievements of the food and drink industry in categories such as environment, education and local community. For more information visit www.fdf.org.uk

Tim Campbell was the winner of the first series of BBC's 'The Apprentice' and spent two years as apprentice to Lord Sugar before setting up his own social enterprise The Bright Ideas Trust to help young entrepreneurs. He is also the Mayor of London's Ambassador for Training and Enterprise.

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