The Senior Leader Apprenticeship in Food Business Management course is a professionally-focussed apprenticeship delivered by the new Food, Land and Agri-Business Management department at Harper Adams.
Run over two years, the apprenticeship will focus on future skills development, enterprise assistance and research. The university hoped the qualification will help play a key role in National Food Strategy, the first independent review of the UK’s food system in 75 years.
Further routes of study
Upon completion, the apprenticeship can be extended to an MSc or MProf qualification if participants choose to follow further study. A full-time or part time route to enrol directly on these qualifications is also available for those who wish to pursue them without the apprenticeship.
Course manager Dr Jane Eastham worked with businesses to shape the course, drawing upon her extensive food industry experience and her ongoing research, including into the development of sustainable and innovative supply chains.
“Food businesses, their management and their supply chain have been very much in the news in recent months and these stories have shown how important it is for the industry to have knowledgeable professionals,” said Eastham.
“It’s crucial these people have both experience in their sector and the skills to apply that experience critically, considering public policy issues, the global commercial environment, industry priorities and more.”
Eligibility for the course
To be eligible for the course, applicants should typically have a food or business degree, or degree apprenticeship at level six in a related discipline. They should be employed and salaried by a company in England for the full duration of their apprenticeship, working a minimum of 30 hours per week.
Eastham added: “These Apprenticeships are designed to develop further the ongoing experience that people employed in relevant sectors will have, with appropriate training to support specialist development.
“As they progress through the course, apprentices will build their skills in management and gain a broader insight into marketing, global policy, innovation and change and more.”
Meanwhile, meat processor ABP UK has launched a new leadership training programme as part of its internally developed Talent Academy.
