Tooling up the next generation of food and drink workers

The toolkit will provide information on how a food and drink company can source jobseekers for Apprenticeship roles and how to access the £1,000 grant for every employee you take on through the scheme.

The food and drink industry has a significant presence in every town and community across the country and there is no sector better placed to contribute to healthier, more prosperous and higher skilled communities.

Levelling up can also provide adults and young people across the country the opportunity to receive more high-quality training. With 500,000 vacancies in the farm to fork supply chain, our sector is primed to give these people the chance to fulfil their potential and build a resilient workforce which can cope with the challenges that lie ahead.

Caroline Keohane, Head of Industry Growth, the Food and Drink Federation, said:

“Our new Skills Toolkit aims to give employers the knowledge of how to invest in the skills they need, both by bringing in new talent and upskilling the existing workforce. It is easily accessible and is a less time-consuming way for businesses to match talent to opportunity.

“The FDF will continue to work with its members to create a high skill workforce which is fit for the industry of the future.”

Alex Burghart MP, Minister for Skills, said:

“It’s fantastic to see the Food and Drink Federation supporting its members to provide skills training, empowering food and drink manufacturers to access new talent and upskill local economies.

“From apprenticeships and traineeships to T Levels, Skills Bootcamps and our Free Courses for Jobs, our training offers are supporting people of all ages to gain the skills they need to secure great careers.”

Jill Coyle, Apprenticeship Manager at Nestlé and Chair of the FDF’s Education and Skills Forum, said:

“The FDF toolkit empowers employers of all sizes, across all geographies by bringing together critical information in order to determine which programme can best help them recruit and upskill their workforces. The FDF Skills Toolkit is a further example of the food and drink sector’s growing reputation for collaboration in building skills expertise.”

ENDS

For more information, please contact Meg Bevan, Corporate Affairs Executive, on 07946 340 998, Megan.Bevan@fdf.org.uk

Notes for editors:

1. 1. The FDF’s Skills Toolkit can be found here: https://www.fdf.org.uk/fdf/resources/toolkits/workforce-and-employment/skills-toolkit/
   2. The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) is the voice of the food and drink manufacturing industry – the UK's largest manufacturing sector. For more information about FDF and the industry we represent visit: fdf.org.uk
   3. For statistics on the food and drink industry please visit: https://www.fdf.org.uk/statsataglance.aspx