1. Introducing the Food and Drink Foundation Apprenticeship
Justine Fosh

2. What is a Foundation Apprenticeship?
‘Apprenticeship’ – but not a fulltime job
Programme of study + period of work experience
Taken over 2 years
Studied alongside Highers
UCAS points – valuable for those going onto further academic study
Assessed workplace competence – valuable for those going into apprenticeships or work
Developed across a range of sectors
Tri-partite delivery ; schools, college , employer
12 subjects
1218 young people registered on Foundation Apprenticeships for the cohort
One of the key recommendations of Sir Ian Wood’s review on developing the young workforce was to “develop better connectivity and co-operation between education and the world of work to ensure young people at all levels of education understand the expectations of employers, and that employers are properly engaged” (Scottish Government response to Developing the Young Workforce; 2015). The Scottish Government set ambitious targets to ensure this connectivity is delivered through a partnership of schools, colleges/training providers and employers.
Skills Development Scotland, alongside other partners, is working with industry to increase the range of work based learning opportunities for pupils in the senior phase of secondary schools. One of the ways this is being achieved is through the development of Foundation Apprenticeships and Skills Development Scotland is leading this initiative.
Foundation Apprenticeships allow pupils to gain vocational qualifications that combine sector specific skills alongside the knowledge that underpins these skills in a workplace setting while still at school.
The Foundation Apprenticeship in Food and Drink Technologies will give students in S5 and S6 the opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge to work towards an SVQ and so to enter a career in the food and drink industries.
Foundation Apprenticeship
Knowledge based qualification
Units of assessed workplace competence

3. Industry Background
Food and Drink Manufacturing is the UK’s largest manufacturing industry – 19% of Scottish manufacturing sector
In Scotland £1.9bn GVA employs 45,000 people
Changing consumer lifestyles, influences and choices , legislation and customer requirements drive the need for skills and training
Key areas of industry shortages
Food technology
Food engineers
Operators with strong technical capability
Supply Chain expertise
As well as a skills shortage there is a labour shortage
High proportion of overseas nationals employed in the industry
Industry is not seen as an attractive industry- in fact it sometimes isn't even seen as an industry

4. Attracting new entrants
UK wide Industry needs over 130,000 new entrants
19,000 in Scotland by 2024
Industry well engaged through Ambassador visits , schools challenge and careers events but FA’s an opportunity
What industry wants from employees …
Key knowledge
How the industry works- wider context
Key issues and challenges
Food science
Key skills and behaviours
Compliance – work safely
Curiosity – find better ways
Commerciality – deliver business benefit
Creativity – innovation & entrepreneurialism
Constructive team working

5. Design Principles A compelling learning experience
Provide young people with an interesting & valuable learning experience
Informed by steering group of food businesses
Genius (Bakery &gluten free) , Coca Cola (Drinks) 2 Sisters (Meat & Poultry) Farne Salmon (Fish)
Focus on the key skills needs
Build on what is available now – don’t reinvent the wheel
Current National progression award in Food Manufacture
Practical considerations
Ability to work in production environment when under 18
Diversity of the industry

6. Food and Drink Technologies
National Progression Award in Food Manufacture
Units of Competence
Compliance
Knowledge based learning
Delivered in Year 5
Delivered in learning
environment
On the job competency
assessment in the
workplace
Delivered in Year 6
Knowledge based learning
Delivered in Year 5
Delivered in learning
environment

7. Food and Drink Technologies
National Progression Award in Food Manufacture
Units of Competence
Compliance
Level 6 (SCQF)
Fundamentals of Food Science
Food Production
Commercial and Social Drivers
Sustainability
Level 5 (SCQF)
REHIS Food Safety
REHIS Health and Safety
Food science – chemical composition of food & nutritional properties of food & legislation
Production- structure from farm to fork
Comm & social- influence of economic conditions, consumers and customers
Research sustainability of operations

8. Food and Drink Technologies
National Progression Award in Food Manufacture
Units of Competence
Compliance
Level 6 (SCQF)
Fundamentals of Food Science
Food Production
Commercial and Social Drivers
Sustainability
Level 6 (SCQF)
Develop productive working relationships
Interpret and communicate info and data
Contribute to continuous improvement
Develop a new product
Promote and support creative thinking
Level 5 (SCQF)
REHIS Food Safety
REHIS Health and Safety

9. Current Status Apprenticeship designed & accredited by SQA
Contracting concluded
137 places in food and drink
This is out of a total of 3219 places overall with an aim to have 5,000 starts next year
Successful bidders for food and drink
North East Scotland College
East Lothian Council & Edinburgh College
Fife Council
Forth valley College
Glasgow Kelvin College
UHI
West Lothian College
West College Scotland

10. Next Steps All systems go for 2018 starts !!
Raise awareness – events in planning stage
Successful bidders to work to develop delivery and link with schools and local employers
SDS have active groups working together ‘communities of practice ‘