Northern Foods seals major training deal
Grimsby Institute of Higher Education has clinched a deal with Northern Foods to provide a bespoke training academy for its 10,500 employees at its 21 sites across the UK and Ireland.
The Operational Excellence Academy aims to help the own-label and branded manufacturer enhance cost and performance efficiencies, customer focus and best practice by boosting staff skills.
"It starts with basic skills, but the intention is that we will be delivering everything up to MBAs and MScs," says Paula Widdowson, Northern Foods' director of corporate social responsibility.
"The goal is that at least 1,500 people will get nationally recognised qualifications across the organisation.
"So far we have held six pilots at six sites and trained 564 people to that level. We are now looking to roll out the training across the business." The process is expected to take two years.
Areas covered will range from lean manufacturing and business improvement techniques to apprenticeships in engineering and product design for new and existing employees. There will even be training for HR and marketing functions, says Widdowson.
Mike Dillon, vice principal, research and enterprise at the Institute, is the head of the Academy. He and his team, including Mike Lochran, dean of the Institute's Engineering and Food School, are UN ambassadors in productivity in areas such as manufacturing, chilled food and logistics, says Widdowson.
Northern Foods' group HR director Steve Brooker says: "Despite the challenging economy, training and development for our employees remains at the top of Northern Foods' agenda."
Professor Daniel Khan, the Institute's principal and chief executive, adds: "This is fantastic news that despite the recession a major company is taking investment in skills of their workforce seriously, recognising that this will lead to improved productivity and hence better value for customers.
"The Institute already has an outstanding reputation in the food sector and we are looking forward to developing this and building a strong and fruitful partnership with Northern Foods."
