New skills academy up and running by the end of 2006, says Improve

A new one-stop shop enabling UK food and drink employers to access suitable training for their staff should be up and running by the end of next year.

The skills academy, set up by sector skills council Improve, should become the first port of call for companies looking to improve the skills of their workforce, drive up productivity and boost retention, said Improve commercial director, Paula Widdowson.

“To maintain and grow the food and drink manufacturing sector’s £64bn annual turnover, which makes a massive contribution to the UK economy, employers must invest in skills. Recent research suggests that a mere 5% increase in investment in training can generate a 4% increase in productivity.”

The proposed model for the academy, which has been piloted with 39 leading food and drink manufacturers, will enable employers to access virtual and physical learning - the former provided by learning technology company My Knowledge Map and the latter by training providers, employers and colleges, said Widdowson.

It is also designed to generate income for Improve so that it can support itself financially when government cash dries up, she added.

Businesses or educational establishments developing courses can gain access to a wider market for their products, while Improve will take a cut of revenues, she said.

“The academy will be a division of Improve. However, it is envisaged that over time it may become its own limited company to better exploit the opportunities available and minimise any risks to Improve.”

Today, training provision is patchy, she said. “It’s a bit of a postcode lottery. There is no real co-ordination and companies get passed from pillar to post when they are trying to access information. The academy will provide employers with a clear starting point.”

The virtual academy, which will offer web-based training versions of packages developed by participating colleges or other training providers, should be live by September 2006, while “bricks and mortar opportunities” will gradually be rolled out in 2006/2007, she said.

Funding to take the scheme forward is being sought from the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA).

For details of how the academy will work in practice, log on to http://www.improveltd.co.uk​.