Employers in the food and drink industry looking to boost business performance and productivity are to be supported by a new qualification.
Improve, the food and drink sector skills council, is in the process of developing a qualification which will develop and assess a range of skills linked to improving efficiency and adding value in the workplace.
The qualification, which will be publicly accredited as part of the new Qualifications and Credits Framework, will focus on best practice in areas such as lean manufacturing, sustainability, team development, company strategy and leadership, and quality.
Amanda Clark, standards and qualifications leader at Improve, said: “We are already working with several major food manufacturers to ensure that we come up with a qualification which is tailored to meet the specific needs of the food industry.
“Our aim is to generate a qualification that helps to embed the continuous improvement mind-set of lean manufacturing and sustainability into every level of a company, while also raising the performance of individuals.”
The qualification will be part of a new range of food and drink proficiency qualifications created to address the skills and training needs of employers. The proposed content is expected to be open for consultation by the end of August and Clarke is urging everyone in the food and drink industry to have their say.
“In the current economic climate, driving productivity and efficiency is more of a priority than ever for many food and drink companies. We want this qualification to reflect what employers know works best within the industry, so we are keen to hear as many views and opinions as possible,” said Clarke.
An employers’ meeting to discuss the qualification will be held in September.
