Keelings, suppliers to all the major supermarkets in Ireland and Northern Ireland, is the first company based in the Republic of Ireland to offer the new quality controllers’ qualification to it staff.
Qualifications within the fresh produce industry have always been limited but the development of this new qualification by leading awarding body Education Development International (EDI) and the Fresh Produce Consortium has meant that this is no longer the case and those working in the industry can now achieve a recognised qualification.
The qualification has been designed to be a standard of achievement for all those that carry out quality assurance activities at each stage of fresh produce distribution. It has been developed for quality control staff that check fresh produce before it is dispatched to supermarkets.
The quality controllers’ qualification is divided in to three awards; a quality assurance certificate, diploma and higher diploma. The workbook, that must be completed, is designed to be applicable to all types of produce, grown both in the UK and overseas. Each unit studied allows students to specialise and the qualification can be achieved through submitted evidence, practical observation and professional discussion.
“The new qualification has enabled us to continue to meet and exceed the expectations of all our customers and has put us in a strong position to develop our business further,” said Miles Bly, technical director at Keelings.
“The step-by-step nature of the study program has kept our staff interested and well motivated and has helped improve recruitment and retention. This has helped develop the skill base within the quality control department, which has resulted in greater accuracy during inspections and consequently improved quality service levels to our customers.”
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