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<title>Improve in the Media</title>
<description>Latest News From Improve</description>
<link>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/</link>
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	<title>First of new food qualifications set to be launched</title>
	<link>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/512/first-of-new-food-qualifications-set-to-be-launched</link>
	<guid>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/512/first-of-new-food-qualifications-set-to-be-launched</guid>
	<pubDate>Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
	<description><![CDATA[A brand new qualification designed to drive improvements in productivity and efficiency in the workplace is set to be launched in April.
The Food Manufacturing Excellence qualification will be the first Improve Proficiency Qualification (IPQ) to be available to food and drink employers. IPQs are a new family of work-based qualifications being developed...]]></description>
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	<title>Find out how vocational qualifications can help your business</title>
	<link>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/510/find-out-how-vocational-qualifications-can-help-your-business</link>
	<guid>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/510/find-out-how-vocational-qualifications-can-help-your-business</guid>
	<pubDate>Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
	<description><![CDATA[Improve, the Food and Drink Sector Skills Council, has been working closely with the Government to create a new website and advertising campaign designed to increase employer awareness and involvement in vocational reform.
The website is designed to inform all employers, including those in the food and drink industry, about changes to the vocational...]]></description>
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	<title>Food and drink industry must be priority to address worker shortage</title>
	<link>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/507/food-and-drink-industry-must-be-priority-to-address-worker-shortage</link>
	<guid>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/507/food-and-drink-industry-must-be-priority-to-address-worker-shortage</guid>
	<pubDate>Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
	<description><![CDATA[An industry skills chief has told politicians that the UKs &pound;78.7bn food and drink industry must be considered a priority for skills funding after the election as it takes steps to recruit 137,000 people by 2017.
Jack Matthews, chief executive of food and drink sector skills council Improve, told the All Party Parliamentary Food and Drink Manufa...]]></description>
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	<title>Improve announces new qualifications for food and drink industry</title>
	<link>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/506/improve-announces-new-qualifications-for-food-and-drink-industry</link>
	<guid>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/506/improve-announces-new-qualifications-for-food-and-drink-industry</guid>
	<pubDate>Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
	<description><![CDATA[New work-based qualifications for the food and drink industry will give training providers the opportunity to work with employers in a variety of different and more flexible ways, according to sector skills council Improve.
Improve is currently working with employers and awarding bodies to develop new families of qualifications, which will offer greater...]]></description>
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	<title>New website set to increase employer involvement in vocational reform</title>
	<link>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/504/new-website-set-to-increase-employer-involvement-in-vocational-reform</link>
	<guid>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/504/new-website-set-to-increase-employer-involvement-in-vocational-reform</guid>
	<pubDate>Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
	<description><![CDATA[Food and drink sector skills council Improve is urging employers to visit a new website recently launched to raise awareness of a large scale overhaul of sector-based  qualifications.
The site is part of a joint project with Business Link and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), designed to ensure that businesses are at the heart...]]></description>
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	<title>Food and drink apprentice shows age is no barrier to learning</title>
	<link>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/497/food-and-drink-apprentice-shows-age-is-no-barrier-to-learning</link>
	<guid>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/497/food-and-drink-apprentice-shows-age-is-no-barrier-to-learning</guid>
	<pubDate>Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
	<description><![CDATA[When most people reach their seventies they would be more than happy if they never took an exam again. This is not so for one 73-year-old who has recently registered as a Modern Apprentice and is studying for the first qualification of his life.
Ian Watson works with ANM Group, an Aberdeenshire-based food and drink group, which owns livestock auction...]]></description>
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	<title>Food and drink employers to create own recipe for Apprenticeships</title>
	<link>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/486/food-and-drink-employers-to-create-own-recipe-for-apprenticeships</link>
	<guid>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/486/food-and-drink-employers-to-create-own-recipe-for-apprenticeships</guid>
	<pubDate>Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
	<description><![CDATA[New flexible  qualifications  will give employers in the food and drink industry the opportunity to develop their own learning programmes for  Apprenticeships .
Work is under way to bring  Apprenticeships  in line with the  Qualifications  and Credit Framework (QCF) - the new credit-based accreditation system for work-based training and  qualifications...]]></description>
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	<title>Improve chief backs think tank’s call for skills reform</title>
	<link>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/485/improve-chief-backs-think-tank-s-call-for-skills-reform</link>
	<guid>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/485/improve-chief-backs-think-tank-s-call-for-skills-reform</guid>
	<pubDate>Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
	<description><![CDATA[The head of the UK food and drink sector skills council has welcomed a call from a leading think tank to hand more control to employers in the way skills and training are funded by the government.
Improve chief executive, Jack Matthews, said recommendations made in the report "Simply Learning" recently published by the Policy Exchange think tank would ...]]></description>
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	<title>Consultation events for the Advanced Level Diploma in Science</title>
	<link>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/484/consultation-events-for-the-advanced-level-diploma-in-science</link>
	<guid>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/484/consultation-events-for-the-advanced-level-diploma-in-science</guid>
	<pubDate>Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
	<description><![CDATA[The Diploma in Science is an exciting new qualification for 14-19 year olds, which will give young people a foundation in scientific theory, and the practical skills necessary to meet the global challenges of tomorrow.
Developed in partnership with employers, education and key stakeholders, the Diploma in Science will provide students with the confidence...]]></description>
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	<title>Flexible Training Programme Offers Boost to North East Food and Drink Producers</title>
	<link>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/482/flexible-training-programme-offers-boost-to-north-east-food-and-drink-producers</link>
	<guid>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/482/flexible-training-programme-offers-boost-to-north-east-food-and-drink-producers</guid>
	<pubDate>Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
	<description><![CDATA[The North East England Food &amp; Drink Group (NEEFDG), which works in partnership with Improve, is currently running a programme of flexible training support for the regions food and drink producers. Developed and delivered on behalf of NEEFDG by HSF Training, the series of courses includes scheduled  events  around the region, combined with the la...]]></description>
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	<title>Food industry deserves greater investment in drive for sustainability</title>
	<link>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/483/food-industry-deserves-greater-investment-in-drive-for-sustainability</link>
	<guid>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/483/food-industry-deserves-greater-investment-in-drive-for-sustainability</guid>
	<pubDate>Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
	<description><![CDATA[Reacting to the publication of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Food 2030 report today (Tuesday January 5), Improve chief executive, Jack Matthews, said the government should be prepared to back its vision with considerable investment to make the UK a world leader in more sustainable and secure food production.
Welcoming...]]></description>
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	<title>Employers invited to have their say on food and drink ‘excellence’ qualification</title>
	<link>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/478/employers-invited-to-have-their-say-on-food-and-drink-excellence-qualification</link>
	<guid>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/478/employers-invited-to-have-their-say-on-food-and-drink-excellence-qualification</guid>
	<pubDate>Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
	<description><![CDATA[Food and drink employers are being asked to give their views on new qualification options designed to drive improvements in productivity and efficiency in the workplace.
Content for an innovative new Achieving Food Manufacturing Excellence qualification has been created by Improve, in partnership with employers. It is one of the food and drink sec...]]></description>
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	<title>Production operator crowned Apprentice winner</title>
	<link>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/476/production-operator-crowned-apprentice-winner</link>
	<guid>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/476/production-operator-crowned-apprentice-winner</guid>
	<pubDate>Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
	<description><![CDATA[A Thetford production operator beat tough competition to claim a top industry prize for her achievements as an Apprentice.
Martyna Zelazek, who works at Marlow Foods in Methwold, Norfolk, won the  Apprenticeships  Award at this years Food Manufacture Excellence Awards, sponsored by food and drink sector skills council, Improve.
Since completing her Ap...]]></description>
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	<title>Call for end to ‘top-down’ approach to skills funding</title>
	<link>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/477/call-for-end-to-top-down-approach-to-skills-funding</link>
	<guid>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/477/call-for-end-to-top-down-approach-to-skills-funding</guid>
	<pubDate>Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
	<description><![CDATA[The UKs food and drink industry skills chief has labelled the current system of funding vocational  qualifications  out of date and says businesses need more flexible assistance in training staff to help prepare for economic recovery and growth.
Jack Matthews, chief executive of food and drink sector skills council Improve, says the current policy o...]]></description>
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	<title>Fruit and veg insiders needed to help develop new Standards</title>
	<link>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/474/fruit-and-veg-insiders-needed-to-help-develop-new-standards</link>
	<guid>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/474/fruit-and-veg-insiders-needed-to-help-develop-new-standards</guid>
	<pubDate>Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
	<description><![CDATA[Employers working in the fresh produce sector are being called on to support the development of a new set of Occupational Standards being led by Improve, the food and drink sector skills council.
The Standards will describe the specialist knowledge and skills needed to undertake particular job roles in the fresh produce sector, covering topics such...]]></description>
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	<title>“Tartan Tiger” tame on skills, says council chief</title>
	<link>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/471/-tartan-tiger-tame-on-skills-says-council-chief</link>
	<guid>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/471/-tartan-tiger-tame-on-skills-says-council-chief</guid>
	<pubDate>Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
	<description><![CDATA[The head of Scotlands employer-led skills councils has challenged the countrys government, industry leaders and training sector to step up its game on education and skills or risk seeing the dream of a "Tartan Tiger" economy slip away.
Speaking at the Scottish Council for Development and Industrys Influencers Dinner in Edinburgh, Jack Matthews, chi...]]></description>
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	<title>Food and drink sector skills council hails decision on migrant butchers</title>
	<link>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/469/food-and-drink-sector-skills-council-hails-decision-on-migrant-butchers</link>
	<guid>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/469/food-and-drink-sector-skills-council-hails-decision-on-migrant-butchers</guid>
	<pubDate>Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
	<description><![CDATA[Food and drink sector skills council Improve is claiming victory after successfully lobbying for two butchery roles to be included on the governments priority list for skilled migrant workers.
Improve led a delegation, that included Lancashire meat processing company Dunbia and the British Meat Processors Association, to meet with the Migration and Ad...]]></description>
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	<title>More power to employers in qualifications overhaul</title>
	<link>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/470/more-power-to-employers-in-qualifications-overhaul</link>
	<guid>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/470/more-power-to-employers-in-qualifications-overhaul</guid>
	<pubDate>Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
	<description><![CDATA[Food and drink businesses could soon be developing their own nationally recognised  qualifications  to help boost workforce development.
Improve, the York-based food and drink sector skills council, is overseeing the creation of two new families of  qualifications  which will hand employers unprecedented control over the structure and content of courses...]]></description>
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	<title>Food Manufacture Excellence Awards 2009 winners announced</title>
	<link>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/466/food-manufacture-excellence-awards-2009-winners-announced</link>
	<guid>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/466/food-manufacture-excellence-awards-2009-winners-announced</guid>
	<pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
	<description><![CDATA[Sponsored by Improve, the Food Manufacture Excellence Awards 2009 took place on Wednesday 11 November at the Marriot Hotel, Grosvenor Square in London. The evenings Awards ceremony proved to be a huge success and the event was a truly enjoyable occasion.
As well as sponsoring the main event, we also sponsored two of the awards on the evening, Productivity...]]></description>
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	<title>Improve chief backs plans to reform skills bodies</title>
	<link>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/463/improve-chief-backs-plans-to-reform-skills-bodies</link>
	<guid>http://www.improve-skills.co.uk/news-media/improve-in-the-media/view/463/improve-chief-backs-plans-to-reform-skills-bodies</guid>
	<pubDate>Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
	<description><![CDATA[The head of food and drink sector skills council Improve says he cautiously welcomes government plans to cut the number of skills bodies in order to make the system easier for employers to navigate.
Responding to the publication of the paper Skills For Growth &ndash; The National Skills Strategy on Wednesday (11 November), chief executive Jack Matthews...]]></description>
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