6 June 2008: Campden and Chorleywood Food Research Association (CCFRA) has earned a national accolade as a centre of specialist learning for bakery and confectionery.
The organisation, based in Chipping Campden, has been accredited as part of the National Skills Academy (NSA) for Food and Drink Manufacturing.
The NSA, which was launched last year, was one of the first of the government’s new sector-based skills academies to be established. It operates primarily through a UK-wide ‘Network of Excellence’–colleges and training companies that are proven to deliver skills in food and drink manufacturing at the highest level. CCFRA is one of the first 12 training providers that make up the network. It is anticipated that 45 providers across the UK will have been accredited by the end of 2009.
Justine Fosh, director of the NSA, said:
“The network comprises only the very best organisations, in which the delivery of training is second to none. CCFRA is one such organisation–it is well-known as a leading food research and development organisation, and for the top-quality training provision it offers. It is also at the forefront of the development of new training programmes, which is vital to respond to the changing skills needs of our fast-moving industry.”
CCFRA is one of the first training providers to be accredited as part of a dedicated NSA network for bakery and confectionery. Representatives from CCFRA will play a key role in shaping the development of the network, working alongside leading industry figures.
Justine explained:
“Bakery is a priority sector in food and drink manufacturing, employing just short of 100,000 people in the UK, and generating a turnover of £7.5 billion. CCFRA’s work as part of the NSA will be vital in maintaining high levels of skills in the sector, and driving it forward to become world-leading.”
Paul Catterall, training and bakery manager at CCFRA said: “We are delighted to have been accredited by the National Skills Academy for Food and Drink Manufacture as a centre of specialist learning for bakery and confectionery. This accolade is the result of considerable hard work by the bakery training team, developing and delivering training to all sectors of the baking industry. It emphasises the quality and range of courses we run at CCFRA and reflects the level of skill and expertise of our staff. We look forward to working with the other partners within the bakery skills academy to further this worthwhile initiative and help deliver substantial benefits to industry.”
As well as CCFRA, the other learning providers accredited within the NSA for food and drink manufacture are: Poultec Training in Dereham, Norfolk (specialising in meat and poultry), the Sea Fish Industry Association and the Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education (joint provider specialising in seafood processing), Reaseheath College in Nantwich (dairy), Peter Rowley Ltd in Grimsby (lean manufacturing), JohnsonDiversey in Northampton (food hygiene and safety), The University of Lincoln Holbeach campus (fresh produce), Duchy College (dairy, meat and poultry, rural and regional food production), Tameside College in Ashton-under-Lyne (bakery and confectionery), Leicester College (bakery and confectionery), Brooksby Melton College in Melton Mowbray (rural and regional food production) and the College of North West London (food and drink manufacture).
Log onto the National Skills Academy for Food and Drink Manufacturing for further information, at www.foodanddrink.nsacademy.co.uk