Farming minister Jim Paice announced 50,000 new apprenticeships in the food and drink industry on Wednesday as part of a drive to get more young people into skilled food jobs.
The announcement was part of the launch of a DEFRA-sponsored action plan to get food businesses to run more apprenticeships.
Speaking at the IGD’s Skills and Employability Summit, Paice said: “We know that there is a big skills gap right across the food chain. The industry must attract more well qualified and ambitious candidates if it is to continue to grow and innovate.”