01.03.2010
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 flexibility and an increased scope for tailoring training towards employers’ individual needs.
Improve Proficiency Qualifications (IPQs) are the first work-based qualifications developed specifically for the food and drink industry and are designed to develop and confirm competence in specific job roles in the industry.
Derek Williams, development director for Improve, says training providers will be able to adopt a more flexible approach to delivering these new unit based qualifications, which will be accredited on the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). The new qualifications will also give providers the opportunity to offer a broader range of training.
“We’ve gone down a specific path to provide what employers want,” he said. “Training will take on a multi-faceted approach to provide employers with what they need including access to broader knowledge learning not previously available in competency based qualifications.”
Mr Williams said the new qualifications are already winning support from employers. The first IPQs available will include sector-specific qualifications in Bakery at Levels 2 and 3, and Brewing at Level 2, as well as a brand new qualification in ‘Food Manufacturing Excellence’, which is a productivity and improvement qualification relevant to all food and drink businesses.
In delivering the new Food Manufacturing Excellence qualification, which will be available at Levels 2 to 4, training providers will not only offer improvement tools and techniques training, but will provide training in managing change and development of workplace culture aligned to a company excellence strategy, said Mr Williams.
“This will include support in areas such as teamwork, working relationships and sustainability,” he said. “This flexibility will encourage employers to view training as a vital part of business development, opening up new opportunities and strengthening working relationships.
“There are already a number of providers delivering business improvement techniques and qualifications. But they are often delivered on a project basis and the impact on the individual and the company is often not sustainable.
“IPQs allow training to be linked directly to the company’s strategy for people improvement and change, and put the training provider in a pivotal position for achieving this.”
The Assessment Strategy for IPQs means it will no longer be necessary for trainers to hold an A1/V1 qualification, but they will be required to demonstrate competence in practice. It also details how it is possible to dovetail and rationalise assessment activity to ensure that it fits effectively with training and assessment practice already in the workplace.
Individual qualifications are currently being developed ready for delivery by awarding organisations and will be available to employers and learners over the course of the next year.
