Meat industry facing workforce exodus
A shortage of workers across the UK’s meat industry has been exacerbated by two recent Government decisions, according to the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA).
The BMPA explains that, as a result of Brexit, industry is facing a shortage of EU staff and the Government’s decision to not include butchers on the Shortage Occupation List has only deepened the wound.
In addition, the Department for Education failed to include any food and drink courses, including butchery courses, from the list of Level 3 adult courses eligible for the £95 million Lifetime Skills Guarantee. This scheme would see adults without an A-Level or equivalent qualification offered a free, fully funded further education course.
“From now onwards, as a result of Brexit, we’re facing an exodus of our EU staff who will leave behind a big gap in the productive capacity of Britain’s meat processing industry.”
Nick Allen, CEO of BMPA, said: “Currently, not enough British people come forward to work in meat plants, which means the shortfall in staff has to be filled by overseas workers. They have traditionally come from the EU and make up between 50-80% of the workforce in meat plants.
“From now onwards, as a result of Brexit, we’re facing an exodus of our EU staff who will leave behind a big gap in the productive capacity of Britain’s meat processing industry. And Government has just made it doubly difficult to plug that gap.
“By removing funding for this kind of lifetime skills retraining, the Government is making it difficult for the people who need to find new jobs and for the companies that desperately need more staff. With both the demand for and supply of British workers clearly there, adding food and drink qualifications to the Lifetime Skills Guarantee would bring the two together and be a win/win for Government. And this is what we are calling for.”
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