Opportunities and learning

At Northern Foods, we want to make the work environment a place that offers opportunities for access to lifelong learning and development.

Across the business a range of activities are underway to attract people into the industry and to develop those people who work for us.

These include creating on site learning centres, providing greater access to education and vocational courses through the National Learning Agreement and our work with universities to attract skilled and talented people into the food industry.

In January 2007, the company launched The Northern Foods Foundation for Science & Technology. This charitable body will provide grants to 30 new students a year throughout their degree course at three of Britain’s leading food science education establishments, Leeds, Nottingham and Reading Universities. The scheme, which will be available to the September 2007 intake, will raise awareness in schools of food industry career opportunities and enhance the number and quality of applications to food science or related degree courses.

The company also works closely with Improve, the sector skills council for the food and drink industry, in its efforts to address the skills gap.