UK’s Food and Grocery Industry Launches Skills Week for 10,000 Young Unemployed People

To mark the first Feeding Britain’s Future – Skills for Work Week young employees from the industry joined chief executives of some of the country’s biggest employers at Downing Street to meet the Prime Minister and his new Cabinet.

12 Sep 2012 --- Companies from the food and grocery industry will open their doors next week to provide free skills training for 10,000 young unemployed people at more than 700 locations across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

To mark the first Feeding Britain’s Future – Skills for Work Week young employees from the industry joined chief executives of some of the country’s biggest employers at Downing Street to meet the Prime Minister and his new Cabinet.

Young employees will deliver a skills showcase that celebrates the variety of careers available across the supply chain – from farming techniques, butchery and baking, to R&D and food science.

Driven by industry think-tank IGD, with support from Jobcentre Plus, the campaign will help the prospects of thousands of young people and showcase the huge range of careers on offer.

During Skills Week itself, young unemployed people will visit farms, factories, depots, shops and catering outlets to gain some of the skills they need to help them get a job – from polishing their CVs and practicing interviews, to building confidence and opening their eyes to the many career opportunities within the food industry.

Earlier this year, IGD consulted young unemployed people at a youth forum in Birmingham to hear firsthand what could be done to help tackle youth unemployment. The results revealed that a lack confidence and real life interview experience are just some of the barriers to getting into work.

As a result IGD has worked with businesses and Jobcentre Plus to develop a programme of training that matches these needs.

Feeding Britain’s Future is the first initiative of its kind, giving young people access to real working environments and a feel for what it’s like in the food industry.

The food and grocery industry is the UK’s biggest private sector employer providing 3.6m - or one in seven – jobs.


Prime Minister, David Cameron, said: “I was delighted to host an event in Downing Street today which brought together employers and young people, helping to inspire the next generation of Britain’s food industry.”

“10,000 young people will now have the opportunity to experience the industry first hand, encouraging them to develop the skills needed to ensure that Britain remains a global leader and producer - and that food remains a key part of our heritage.

“British food is responsible for hundreds of thousands of jobs and is exported to every corner of the globe. Today’s announcement is not only important for the future of the industry, but also for the future of so many young people who are key to the industry’s aspirations for growth and can therefore play a part in our economic recovery.”

The Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Rt Hon. Owen Paterson MP said: “The food sector is helping to drive the UK’s economic recovery and has ambitious plans for further growth, seizing the export opportunities offered by soaring global demand for high-quality British products.

“But this will only happen if we get the right people into the right jobs, and give them the skills to use new ideas and technology to keep UK businesses at the forefront of the global food industry.”

Joanne Denney-Finch OBE, Chief Executive of IGD, said: “The food and grocery industry is the UK’s biggest private sector employer and we’re committed to playing our part in tackling youth unemployment. By coming together as an industry we’re able to support thousands of young people to help them build confidence and gain vital skills needed to secure a job.

“Many of them just need a helping hand to package up the skills and experience they already have – if you don’t know the rules of the game, how can you play? Feeding Britain’s Future will give them a little extra help so that they can make the most of the next opportunity that comes their way.

“A career in food and grocery offers endless possibilities and fosters all kinds of talent. The industry takes people at all stages of life, from school leavers to experienced graduates, and regardless of background and qualifications, it’s possible to start on the bottom rung of the ladder and get to the very top.

“We’re excited to be at Downing Street today to show the Prime Minister just what the young people working with us have to offer.”

The grocery industry is the leading employer in the UK. It provides more than 3.6m jobs – that's 14% of UK employment, or one in every seven jobs. There are more than 400,000 businesses in the UK food chain from start-ups to some of the largest global enterprises. 55% of employers will expand their training and development budget between now and 2020. In farming alone, there are around 316,000 farm businesses in the UK, providing 531,000 workforce jobs. Two-thirds of all new jobs are created by firms employing fewer than 100 people.

Responding to the launch of IGD's 'Feeding Britain's Future – Skills for Work Week' at Downing Street, FDF Employment, Skills & Corporate Services Director, Angela Coleshill, said: “On behalf of our members, we are delighted to support IGD's 'Feeding Britain's Future – Skills for Work Week'. This timely and ground-breaking initiative has the power to make a positive and significant difference to the future working lives of young people in the UK."

“Food and drink manufacturing employs over 400,000 people across the country and we recognise that we can make an important contribution towards tackling youth unemployment. Several of our members are partners in Skills for Work Week and will be offering support to young people as part of the initiative."

“Our members' commitment to Feeding Britain's Future builds on the great work we are already engaged in to develop skills for the future. Through such initiatives as our Apprenticeship Pledge, our Graduate Excellence degree – the UK's first food and drink engineering degree, and our targeted Taste Success – A Future in Food careers campaign, we are actively working to support young people and to promote our industry as a career of first choice.”