Businesses and organisations within the food sector have welcomed the Government’s ‘Skills for Jobs’ initiative which will see a £65 million fund to boost post-16 education.
The Skills for Jobs White Paper, published last week, includes a series of measures, such as a £65 million Strategic Development Fund to support businesses working in tandem with colleges. The initiative is centred around providing specific education and training which is linked to the skills needed for real jobs.
The White Paper enshrines the new Lifetime Skills Guarantee, which looks to provide all adults without a full level 3 qualification (A-level equivalent) with a free training course to gain one from April 2021. However, organisations, such as the Food and Drink Training and Education Council (ftc) and FDQ, have criticised the Government after the 400 courses available as part of the initiative did not include any relevant to the food sector.
Terry Fennell, chief executive of FDQ, commented: “For the Department of Education to omit the food manufacturing sector from the Lifetime Skills Guarantee offer beggars belief, especially when considering the efforts and contribution from the whole industry during the pandemic.
“The food production industry is one of a very few sectors to work all the way through the pandemic with key worker status and yet the authorities have actually ‘de-listed’ many food technology qualifications that could and should be available for workforces to advance their careers free of charge utilising the Government funding.”
Announcing the measures, Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, said: “Our reforms to post-16 education will focus on the skills people and business need for our economy to grow. As we recover from the pandemic, our Lifetime Skills Guarantee will ensure everyone has the confidence and opportunity to gain the skills they need to progress at any stage of their lives.
“These reforms are at the heart of our plans to build back better, ensuring all technical education and training is based on what employers want and need, whilst providing individuals with the training they need to get a well-paid and secure job, no matter where they live, and in the sectors that are critical to our future economic success.”
Industry reaction
The announcements have been welcomed by various trade bodies and organisations within the UK food sector, including the Food and Drink Federation (FDF).
Mark Corbett, education and skills policy manager for the FDF, said: “We welcome the publication of the Skills for Jobs White Paper today, and the focus on employers taking a leading role in shaping skills provision. The development of local skills plans will seek to address the gaps in provision that are a real problem for our industry.
“It is encouraging that the Government has acknowledged the need to address the fall in apprenticeships. The additional support for SMEs, and a matching service, will help with the take-up of the levy transfer, but it doesn’t address the root cause of businesses not being able to use their levy due to inflexibilities in the system.
“While we support the announcement that from April 2021 eligible adults can access a (level 3) qualification for free, it is disappointing that there are currently no options in food and drink manufacturing. Food and drink businesses have been recruiting throughout the pandemic and continue to offer excellent career opportunities to people who want to retrain.
“We seek urgent clarity on how the Government will ensure that this offer adapts to our sector’s current and future priorities.”
UKHospitality chief executive, Kate Nicholls, added: “Encouraging more people into careers in hospitality was a priority for the sector even before the devastation of the pandemic. As we emerge from the crisis, securing support to offer pathways for young people into employment will be more vital than ever. Giving employers more input into the qualifications delivered and encouraging collaboration with further education institutions is extremely welcome.
“There is an opportunity for the hospitality to drive the economic recovery of the UK after this crisis has passed. We are in arguably the best position to offer employment and provide investment in town centres and high streets in every region. Providing people with the knowledge, skills and desire to embark on a rewarding and exciting career will be crucial to filling hard-to-fill vacancies, ensuring the hospitality sector bounces back stronger from the crisis, and supporting the regeneration of the country’s economy.”
Tom Ironside, director of business and regulation at the British Retail Consortium said: “Digital transformation and evolving consumer behaviour have led to a period of extraordinary change for retail and its workforce. The measures announced today, such as putting employers at the centre of identifying future skills needs and ways to meet those needs, should be welcomed by retailers up and down the country.
“Whilst the National Skills Fund and the Lifetime Skills Guarantee will help the industry to upskill and retrain, the Government has fallen short on its commitment to reform the Apprenticeship Levy. As we enter the recovery phase from the pandemic, boosting employment will be crucial to re-building our economy. We hope the Government will use the Budget to go even further by allowing employers to use levy funds for more job and training opportunities, which will help the UK recover faster and meet the skills needs of the future.”
