The National Skills Academy for Food & Drink Manufacturing launches online

28 June 2007: Two workers at Young’s Seafood in Grimsby were the first in the country to log onto the new National Skills Academy for Food & Drink Manufacturing, to mark its national online launch on Thursday 28 June.

Technician Chris Howden and shift manager Tina Birks have enrolled in the National Skills Academy and attended its online training and information centre launch at Young’s Seafood’s headquarters at Ross House.

A revolutionary initiative to boost skills, the development of the £4.4million National Skills Academy has been led by employers and co-ordinated by Improve, the food and drink sector skills council, which has its headquarters in York.

“The Skills Academy is a vital step in meeting the skills challenges that the food and drink manufacturing sector faces,” said Jack Matthews, chief executive of Improve. “It has been designed by employers for employers, and it will provide an effective and accessible system to deliver high-quality, relevant training through a mix of online, distance and site-based vocational courses.”