Employer involvement

In order to meet the needs of sector employers, it is essential that the Academy is employer led and based on a robust assessment of sector needs. Over 100 employers have been directly involved in scoping the project and feeding back the training programmes they would find most useful.

Food and drink sector employers have requested their National Skills Academy, designed it, indicated what they want it to provide and are waiting for it to open.

The support and commitment of employers is evidenced through their current testing of the e-learning provision and offers of premises and equipment to support the work of Academy Centres that are a key element of the National Skills Academy structure.

The National Skills Academy for Food and Drink is critical in facilitating a change in training, from one which meets legislative demands to one which delivers the skills industry requires to succeed.

Key to the project development was an employer based steering group including:

• Ellen Cockburn, Youngs Bluecrest
• Simon Charles, RHM
• Brett Warburton, Warburtons
• Stephen Battallia, Nestle
• Ed Bales, Poultec Training
• Mereddyd Davies, Reaseheath College
• Daniel Khan, Grimsby College
• David Pickering, North West Food Alliance
• Paul Wilkinson, Big Bear
• Paula Widdowson, Improve
• Derek Williams, Improve

The National Skills Academy also has a number of Champions whose role is to communicate our plans and ensure we are representing employers views and we have an academy Patron Lord Haskins of Skidby.

The full list of champions includes:

• Patrick Farnsworth—Chair of Team Food (Yorkshire and Humber)
• Sir Harry Studholme—Chair of South West Food and Drink
• David Tomlinson—Plant Bakery
• Robin Southgate—East Midlands Food and Drink Forum
• Jim Begg—Dairy UK
• Tim Smith—Arla Foods
• Paul Hebblethwaite—Cadburys

Investment and sponsorship