The content of this Pathway has been agreed by National Skills Academy for Food and Drink (NSAFD). This is the only Food Manufacturing Excellence Apprenticeship Pathway in the Food and Drink sector approved for use in Wales that is eligible for Medr funding.
ISSUE DATE: 01/08/2023 ACW Framework No. FR05123
Learning Programme Content
The Learning Programme provision shall comprise of three mandatory elements:
- Qualifications,
- Essential Skills
- On/off the job training
The total minimum credit value required for the Level 4 Pathway Food Manufacturing Excellence is 53 credits (made up of the total on-and off-the-job training for all the components).
Entry requirements
Examples include:
- Academic routes (e.g. GCSEs, Welsh Baccalaureate)
- By completing vocational qualifications
- Participation on employer placement
- Work experience
- Training
Learners who have completed the Welsh Baccalaureate may have completed units or short courses which will provide underpinning knowledge towards the Apprenticeship. This will be assessed during an initial assessment allowing Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) where appropriate.
Apprenticeship pathway learning programme(s)
Level 4: Food Manufacturing Excellence
Level 4: Food Manufacturing Excellence Qualifications
Participants must achieve the following combined qualification below.
| Level 4 Diploma for Proficiency in Food Manufacturing Excellence (Wales) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awarding Body | Qualification No. | Credit Value | Total Qualification Time | Combined / Competence / Knowledge | Qualification Assessment Lanaguage(s) |
| FDQ | C00/4816/8 | 37 | 370 | Combined | English Only |
Please see Annex 1 for the relationship between the competence and knowledge units within the combined qualification.
Essential Skills Wales (ESW)
| Level 4: Food Manufacturing Excellence | Level | Minimum Credit Value |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 3 | 6 |
| Application of number | 3 | 6 |
| Digital literacy | 3 | 6 |
Essential Skills Wales qualifications assessment languages are English-Welsh.
On/Off the Job training
| Pathway | Minimum On the Job Training Hours | Minimum Off the Job Training Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Level 4: Food Manufacturing Excellence | 112 | 296 |
On/Off the Job Qualification details (Minimum Credit & Hours)
The recommended minimum pathway duration time for completion is 24 months.
Total minimum credit value for the combined competence and knowledge qualification: 37 credits
Essential Skills Wales (ESW) in Communication, Application of Number and Digital Literacy: 18 credits
Total on and off-the-job training minimum training hours: 408 learning hours
- Competence = minimum 52 hours
- Knowledge = minimum 73 hours
- Essential Skills Wales (notional value 45 hours x 3) = 135 hours
- Mentoring, training and support activities 88 weeks x 1 hour/week = 88 hours
- On the job mentoring = 60 hours
Minimum off-the-job training hours = 296 training hours
- Knowledge component of - Level 4 Diploma in Food Manufacturing Excellence = 73 hours
- Essential Skills Wales and off- the- job mentoring hours = 223 hours
Minimum on-the-job training hours = 112 training hours
- Competence component of - Level 4 Diploma in Food Manufacturing Excellence = 52 hours
- On the job mentoring = 60 hours
On/Off the Job Essential Skills details (Minimum Credit & Hours)
- 6 credits/45 GLH Level 3 Essential Skills Wales Communication
- 6 credits/45 GLH Level 3 Essential Skills Wales Application of Number
- 6 credits/45 GLH Level 3 Digital Literacy
Other additional requirements
There are no additional requirements other than the general entry conditions.
Progression
Progression from the Higher Apprenticeship in Food and Drink (Food Manufacturing Excellence):
Examples include:
- Into employment, for example, as a productivity manager, lean manufacturing manager or continuous improvement manager
- Onto a Higher Education qualification;
- Onto a level 5 qualification;
- Development into a sideways career change or higher job role.
Many career options become available to the Apprentice on successful completion of the pathway.
Equality and diversity
It is important that apprenticeship Pathways are inclusive and can demonstrate an active approach to identifying and removing barriers to entry and progression. Pathways should advance equality of opportunity between persons who share protected characteristics and those persons who do not as identified in the Equality Act 2010.
The Protected characteristics identified in the Equality Act are age, disability, gender re-assignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity. Marriage and civil partnership is also included although only in respect of the requirement to eliminate discrimination in employment.
Training providers and employers MUST also comply with the other duty under the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that applicants are not discriminated against in terms of entry to the industry based upon those nine protected characteristics.
The food and drink industry in Wales is predominantly male, making up over two-thirds (68%) of the workforce; 32% are female. In comparison, a more balanced gender distribution exists across all industries in Wales where 53% are male and 47% are female. Between 2006 and 2011, the male share of the workforce increased by 7% (13,000 to 13,800) whereas the female share of the workforce declined by 4% (6,900 to 6,600). 36% of Welsh food and drink employees fall within the 45 to 54 years age group; 8% are aged 30 to 34; and only 17% are aged 16 to 29 years. The 16 to 29 years age group is considerably smaller than the other UK nations. In comparison, Northern Ireland has 38% of its food and drink workforce in this age group, England has 26% and Scotland has 25%.
Over two-thirds (68%) of the current workforce will be eligible for retirement in the next 20 years. It is notable that 3,500 non-UK nationals are estimated to be working in the Welsh food and drink industry in 2011, an increase of 86% since 2006. (Skills Insights and Labour Market Facts about the Food and Drink Manufacturing and Processing industry in Wales 2013-2014, Improve Limited 2013)
This pathway is an important route to encourage greater diversity within the industry and the following actions are being taken to promote equality and inclusion:
- Ongoing monitoring of data to identify any issues and intervene where necessary
- Promotion of the industry to a diverse audience though our careers website Tasty Careers www.tastycareers.org.uk and Tasty Careers Ambassadors
- Apprenticeship workshops to raise awareness of the benefits of Apprenticeships to employers
All partners involved in the delivery of apprenticeships, including training providers, centres and employers, must be committed to a policy of equal opportunities and must have robust equality and diversity policies and procedures.
Employment responsibilities and rights
Employment Responsibilities and Rights (ERR) is no longer compulsory. But it is recommended that all apprentices (especially the 16 years -18 year group) receive a company induction programme.
Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of the Training Provider and Employer to ensure that the requirements of this pathway are delivered in accordance with the Welsh Government/Medr Apprenticeships Guidance.
Annex 1 - Level 4: Food Manufacturing Excellence
– FDQ Level 4 Diploma for Proficiency in Food Manufacturing Excellence (Wales)