50,000 apprenticeships created in food industry
22 June 2011 10:14
Thousands of new apprenticeships are to be created in the food industry under a drive to attract more young people to the sector, it was announced today.
The Government said 50,000 places will be offered, with ministers saying they hoped the move would change the way youngsters felt about working in the industry.
Apprenticeships on offer include brewers, master bakers, food scientists/technicians, business managers and chocolatiers.
Food and Agriculture Minister Jim Paice said: "Our food industry is hugely important to growth, employing 3.7 million people and contributing almost £90 billion to the UK economy, but we know that there is a big skills gap right across the food chain.
"The industry must attract more well qualified and ambitious candidates if it is to continue to grow and innovate.
"These 50,000 apprenticeships show that the food industry is serious about becoming a place where young people seek out skilled and fulfilling careers.
"I would encourage anyone out there looking for a challenging career in a growing industry to think about food."
Government figures showed there were 213,400 apprenticeship starts in the first half of the 2010/11 academic year, a "significant increase" on the previous year.
Funding for apprenticeships is being increased from £1.3 billion in the last financial year to £1.4 billion in the next 12 months, enough to train 360,000 apprentices.
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