Hi-tech tool marks launch of new qualifications

in the north-west

An innovative one-stop guide to help food and drink manufacturers in the north-west design vocational qualifications for their staff has been launched on-line.

The launch of the ‘Pick YOUR Mix’ interactive tool coincides with the introduction of a radical new framework for National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) in food and drink manufacture, which has been developed by Improve, the food and drink sector skills council, in close consultation with employers.

David Hickman, operations manager for Improve in the north-west, says the new system will make it easier for the region’s food and drink manufacturers to plug skills gaps in the 58,000-strong workforce, and will also help companies access government funding set aside to encourage the uptake of vocational qualifications.

He said: “Ultimately, this is all about improving the skills of the workforce and increasing profits by raising performance. Around one in five food and drink manufacturers in the North West report skills gaps among their staff and yet a third have offered no form of staff training in the past 12 months.

“Our aim in reforming the NVQ framework has been to reverse this trend by giving employers what they want – easy access and control over what their staff learn. We have gathered all the tools an employer needs to tailor a nationally-recognised qualification to their own requirements in a convenient, accessible place. All the employer has to do is go on-line and have a look.”

The new framework is intended to make NVQs more relevant to the workplace by offering a choice of more than 500 learning units covering all aspects of the industry, meaning employers can tailor the qualifications to suit job roles.

The ‘Pick YOUR Mix’ tool helps by matching brief descriptions of job roles to the most suitable options available, suggesting a best-fit programme of learning designed to meet the skills demands of the job.

The tool also allows employers to download the industry’s National Occupational Standards, which define the skills and knowledge required for different job roles. The standards were developed by Improve in consultation with employers and form the building blocks of the new NVQs.

According to Mr Hickman, having access to the standards will prove another useful resource to employers. “The standards were agreed industry-wide and form the basis of what everyone wants to be aiming for in terms of skills and knowledge,” he added. “Having access to a breakdown of that on a job-by-job level will prove very handy when it comes to workforce planning and staff appraisals.”

The ‘Pick YOUR Mix’ tool is being hosted on the Improve website (www.improveltd.co.uk ). It carries an annual subscription charge of £75 per company or individual subscriber.