Source: Improve Skills Needs Analysis (volume 1) 2006, figure 3.11. Data from the 2004 Labour Force Survey using SIC15 only.

It is reported that within the English food and drink sector in the last 12 months:

• 77% of enterprises had provided on-the-job or off-the-job training for at least one member of staff
• 68% conducted on-the-job training
• 60% conducted off-the-job training
• 60% have a training and staff development plan
• 51% have an annual training budget

The main types of job training offered includes: induction; health and safety; job specific; management; supervisory; and new technology training.

Many establishments do not consider training and formal human resource development as important:

• 47% of establishment have no formal human resource planning
• 37% of establishments have formal training plans
• 25% of establishments have training budgets prepared

There is no culture that expects participation in learning.  Many employees do not have the opportunity to earn while they learn.

Compared to the manufacturing sector and the whole economy, the food, drink and tobacco sector lacks job-specific and new technology training provision.

Barriers to training and issues arising include:

• lack of funding
• the specialised nature of courses
• employer demand and needs
• appropriate assessment methods
• duration of courses

Source: Improve Skills Needs Analysis (volume 2) 2006, Pye Tait Ltd. 2005, Skill Strategy Research Ltd. 2005 and Improve Market Assessment 2004

Qualifications outside the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) are available within the sector, but content, delivery methods and size are variable.  Short courses, such as Food Hygiene, Health and Safety make up a large proportion of these types of qualifications.  Much of the training for the food and drink sector is not assessed or certificated. 

Source: Pye Tait Ltd. 2005

Foundation degrees in the food manufacturing sector are available in England and Northern Ireland with some activity in Wales.  In Scotland, there are eight institutions with 40 appropriate courses.  For more information on the Foundation Degree Framework for the food and drink manufacturing sector go to Improve website. 

Apprenticeships are available for: bakery; food and drink manufacturing; and meat and poultry.  For more information on the Apprenticeship training in the food and drink manufacturing sector go to Improve website.  For S/NVQs in the sector and vocational training go to the Improve website.  

For more information on the types of qualifications in the food and drink manufacturing sector go to the Improve Careers Brochure.