Bakkavor trains up food industry personnel

Bakkavor has waved 220 young people through its Accelerated Management Scheme (AMS) since 1999 and is offering 135 training opportunities in September through IGD’s Feeding Britain’s Future’s Skills for Work Month.

The AMS programme offers a two-year fast-track route for graduates and existing employees into senior management.

Group induction for the current year’s scheme took place earlier this month. At that time, candidates had an opportunity to discuss the financial results and current trading with ceo Agust Gudmundsson and chief financial officer Peter Gates. They were also offered insights into marketing and customer relationship management.

Training

The AMS, which involves a mix of on and off the job training, runs across various areas of the business including development, finance, human resources, manufacturing, technical and commercial.

Feeding Britain’s Futures is an initiative spearheaded by grocery think tank IGD and aims to equip unemployed young people with the skills they need to secure permanent jobs.

“The aim of AMS is to develop the future leaders of Bakkavor,” said Bakkavor’s group HR director Pippa Greenslade. “ … We like to give those on our Accelerated Management Scheme real responsibilities on real projects from day one.”

Greenslade has been appointed as a trustee to the Whitehall & Industry Group. The not-for-profit organisation aims to build closer ties between the government, private and voluntary sectors to improve policy development.