The Scottish Government is to fund over 200 food and drink manufacturing Modern Apprenticeships for over 20 year olds.
The government has already pledged just under £500,000 to fund around 200 places for 16 to 19-year-olds north of the border and is now adding 234 places for over 20s on the Level 2 and Level 3 Modern Apprenticeship in Food and Drink Manufacturing.
However, though he welcomed the funding, Kelvin Thomson National Manager for Scotland at Improve, the food and drink sector skills council Improve said it isn’t enough.
“I am very pleased we now have 234 training opportunities available to employees who until last year could not get this funding. But I do also recognise the disappointment of employers who have not got the places they wanted,” he said.”
“Abolishing the age cap and introducing the Level 2 training programme has proved a great success with employers applying to take up more than 600 places for their staff.
“With less than half of the places applied for it has come as a big disappointment to these companies that they cannot start the apprentices they wanted to.”
The Modern Apprenticeship in Food and Drink Manufacturing was developed in close consultation with employers in Scotland’s food and drink industry. It offers 11 learning pathways at Level 2 and six at Level 3, covering everything from craft bakery and butchery to specialist technical skills and supply chain management.
For information on apprenticeship funding, contact Improve.
