University launches senior leader apprenticeship for food industry
Harper Adams University has created a new qualification that aims to develop future senior managers for food industry businesses.
The Senior Leader Apprenticeship in Food Business Management course will be delivered by the new Food, Land and Agri-Business Management department at Harper Adams University. The department will focus on future skills development, enterprise assistance and research.
Harper Adams has said that it hopes the department will “play a key role” in the University’s response to the National Food Strategy.
The Senior Leader Apprenticeship will run over two years. On completion, Harper Adams said, the award 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.
To be eligible for the course, which is a level seven postgraduate level qualification, 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.
“Unique qualification”
The university stated: “The course has been drawn up through extensive work with industry, including focus groups with food businesses and experts, Harper Adams graduates and students. It harnesses the wealth of knowledge at Harper Adams University, the UK’s leading specialist university for the agri-food and rural business sectors.”
Course manager, Dr Jane Eastham said that apprentices on the course will build skills in management – working with both projects and people; gain research, information, and finance knowledge; and obtain a broader insight into marketing, global policy, innovation and change, amongst other topics.
She added: “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. 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.
“That is one of the reasons we worked with industry specialists and more to shape this unique qualification – aimed at helping to provide the future leaders the food sector needs to compete globally.”
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