Food and Drink Sector - New Qualification

Improve, the Sector Skills Council for Food and Drink Manufacturing in the UK, has just announced the   creation of new work-based qualifications for the industry.  Working alongside employers and awarding bodies they are seeking to develop new families of qualifications, which will offer greater flexibility and an increased scope for tailoring training towards employers' individual needs.

Improve Proficiency Qualifications (IPQs) are the first work-based qualifications developed specifically for the food and drink industry and are designed to develop and confirm competence in specific job roles in the industry.  Additionally, they will be accredited on the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF).

Derek Williams, Development Director for Improve, says training providers will be able to adopt a more flexible approach to delivering these new unit based qualifications.  The new qualifications will also give providers the opportunity to offer a broader range of training.

"We've gone down a specific path to provide what employers want," he said. "Training will take on a multi-faceted approach to provide employers with what they need including access to broader knowledge learning not previously available in competency based qualifications."

The new qualifications are already winning support from employers. The first IPQs available will include sector-specific qualifications in Bakery at Levels 2 and 3, and Brewing at Level 2, as well as a brand new qualification in 'Food Manufacturing Excellence', which is a productivity and improvement qualification relevant to all food and drink businesses.

Individual qualifications are currently being developed ready for delivery by awarding organisations and will be available to employers and learners over the course of the next year.  For further information see the Improve Proficiency Qualifications section on the Improve website.