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26th Jan 2010
Professional bakery course pilot hailed as success
The pilot of a groundbreaking course developed by the bakery industry has been hailed as a success following positive feedback from the seven companies taking part.
The Professional Bakery training course was trialled in the north-west between September and .jpg)
December, with 42 delegates testing out four of the course’s ten planned modules in the workplace and at Tameside and Liverpool Community Colleges.
December, with 42 delegates testing out four of the course’s ten planned modules in the workplace and at Tameside and Liverpool Community Colleges.It has been developed by the National Skills Academy for Food and Drink Manufacturing in partnership with its employer-led bakery steering group, which represents craft, plant and supermarket bakers. Designed to give a broad overview of all aspects of bakery and aimed at anyone who has had no previous formal training in bakery production. Those who took part in the pilot came from a range of backgrounds, with national account managers, production managers and plant operatives, as well as product development and engineering staff involved.
National Skills Academy co-ordinator Jonathan Cooper said: “The feedback was extremely positive with many saying that it has led to a better understanding of different departments within their company. Others said it has improved their problem solving and team work skills, while some have suggested they now have greater pride and interest in their work as they have a stronger grasp of the processes in their workplace.
“Other feedback provided some constructive insights into how the course can be made more relevant to everyday work and the level at which each module should be pitched so that they cater for everyone. Fundamentally, we have successfully demonstrated the benefits of training to a new set of employees and employers, and introduced them to training providers in their local area.
“Overall this is has been an excellent example of partnership working between different training providers, employers of all sizes and trade associations.”
After structure and learning content was agreed by the steering group, development of the course’s 10 modules was shared between the six participating colleges; Tameside, Thomas Danby, University College Birmingham, Leicester, Liverpool Community College and Brooklands. The development process was overseen by Campden BRI, bakery champion of the National Skills Academy for Food and Drink Manufacturing.
Companies involved in the trial included Blackburn’s McCambridge Group, Slattery’s Bakery in Manchester, Sayers and Greenhalgh’s bakeries - both based in Bolton, Boardman’s Craft form Oldham, Manchester-based Martin’s bakery and Archer’s Baker and Confectioners from Stockport.
Steering group chair and craft baker Ian Thomson said: “The pilot has been a great success and has given us valuable insights which we will now use to make final adjustments to the course.
“Collectively we wanted to develop a training programme that focused solely on core bakery skills and which would set a new standard for anyone working in the industry. The response from those who took part in the pilot illustrates to me that we have now achieved that aim.”
The course will be mapped against the new national Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) before it is launched. This means elements of the Professional Bakery Training course will provide candidates with credit which can be used to attain nationally recognised qualifications.
ENDS
Note to editors
The National Skills Academy for Food and Drink Manufacturing is an employer-led organisation, which was set up in 2007 and is being developed to provide the food and drink industry with the training it needs to drive up productivity and competitiveness within the sector. The National Skills Academy is part of Improve Limited, the Sector Skills Council for the UK food and drink sector.
It has a growing network of approved training providers, which include both publicly and privately funded learning centres located around the country. Each member of the network delivers some aspect of skills for the food and drink manufacturing industry as whole, and/or specialist skills for one or more of its various sub-sectors. Members undergo rigorous quality checks and have to demonstrate a continuous commitment to offering the food and drink industry the expertise and specialist knowledge it needs.
Issued on behalf of the National Skills Academy for Food and Drink Manufacturing www.foodanddrink.nsacademy.co.uk by Nexnet PR, Leeds, www.nexnet.co.uk. For further information call Nexnet on 0113 247 0029, email paul.newham@nexnet.co.uk.