Cardiff University wins place on Food Skills Cymru framework

16 Mai 2019

Image of fresh fruit and vegetables at a market

We are delighted to announce that the University is now part of the approved Training Provider Framework for the Food Skills Cymru Programme.

The programme, delivered by Lantra, supports businesses within the Welsh food and drink processing and manufacturing industry to ensure employees have the right skills and training for their business and the wider industry.

The Food & Drink Supply Chain is important to the Welsh economy in terms of employment, income and the contribution it makes to tourism. As the largest employment sector in Wales, making up almost 20% of all employment and contributes c.£6.9bn of sales revenue into the Welsh economy, the Welsh Government have identified the Food and Drink Manufacturing Industry as a priority sector.

£1.2million of funding is available for the completion of accredited and non-accredited technical and staff development training, depending on the requirements of the business.

Dr Phil Swan Rheolwr Datblygu Busnes - Coleg y Celfyddydau, y Dyniaethau a’r Gwyddorau Cymdeithasol

What the University can offer Welsh businesses

The University has a wealth of expertise available across a variety of subject areas. We have identified over 80 potential topics, drawing on the knowledge and expertise of Cardiff Business School and the wider University (including the Sustainable Places Research Institute and the Water Research Institute) where we are able to deliver cutting-edge training.

Programmes offered to businesses will be delivered in a practical, focused and accessible way, using real life examples from within the food and drink industry. The programme content and delivery will be designed to facilitate the application of new knowledge as quickly as possible when back in the workplace.

Potential topics for training programmes

Business Management and Leadership and Management

General Business Management topics currently delivered to organisations on an open and bespoke basis to clients by Cardiff Business School’s Executive Education team:

Leadership and Management
Digital Leadership
Operations Management
High Performing Teams
HR and Performance Management
Finance Management
Strategic Management.

Business Management courses, currently offered on an open or bespoke basis by the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Unit:

Business Writing Skills
Confident Communication
Presentation Skills
Workplace Coaching for Managers
Managing Performance for Results
Train the Trainer
Developing a Communication Strategy

Project and Programme management courses

Project Management training course
Managing Successful Programmes® (MSP)
Implementing organisational change
PRINCE2® Foundation and Practitioner course
AgilePM® Foundation and Practitioner course
Blended versions of PRINCE2® and MSP® courses.

Environmental Management

The following topics can be delivered drawing on the expertise of Cardiff University’s Panalpina Centre for Manufacturing and Logistics Research, Sustainable Places Research Institute, Water Research Institute, and School of Geography and Planning

Development of sustainable food production
Developing sustainability into supply chains and environmental standards (drawing on the lessons learnt and examples from the recent research on banana production)
Place-based food interactions
Links between food retailers, globalisation, and the low-carbon economy
Transforming and Growing Relationships within regional food systems for Improved Nutrition and Sustainability (drawing on the learnings of the recent T-Grains project funded by the Global Food Security Programme)
Food sustainability in farmers’ markets, CSA and solidarity purchasing groups
Rethinking urban-rural linkages through sustainable food systems
How to link local food production and local consumption
Understanding the issues facing small organic enterprises, and how food producers can support them
How to establish relationships of trust and mutual understanding between suppliers and producers
CSR for food producers: how to support contributions to societal and environmental goals
Developing resilient agri-food systems
The impact of climate change on future food chains
Environmental and social implications of food waste
Smart tools and methods to minimise food waste
Sustainable management of the use of water
Using water more wisely.

ICT and Sales and Marketing

Data collection and management – building from the recent work of Sustainable Places Research Institute to help organic food growing businesses in Wales improve their operations through collective data gathering and sharing.

Introduction to Digital Marketing
Advanced Digital Marketing
Website Design and Management
Google Analytics
Google Ads training course
Writing for the Web
Search Engine Optimisation.

Understanding supply chains
Future food supply chains
Forecasting and inventory control related to ‘Make to Stock’ production and short-shelf life issues
Dealing with Demand Uncertainty (e.g. Newsvendor Models)
Modelling of Logistics Operations
Smart Logistics for Supply Chain
Circular Economy for generating value from wastes generated within internal operations
Advanced Inventory Forecast Management
Modelling supply chains
Lean, Six Sigma, Agility for achieving high quality, speed of delivery, flexible and dependable operations
Vertical and Horizontal Collaboration
Smart Manufacturing through Data Analytics
Knowledge flows within agri-food systems
Global food security.

Embedding innovation
Big Data and Innovation with the context of food and drink production
Data Visualisation Techniques
Popular robust forecasting methods
Intelligent Manufacturing Systems.

Feeding Britain: Food Security after Brexit: how food, food security and food regulation are being addressed
Raising awareness of Agri-food policy debates following the BREXIT referendum and CAP reform post 2020 linked to Cardiff University’s Rural Policy Research
Supply Chain Management (particularly nearshoring / Aldi model approach related to Brexit) – The Logistics and Operations Management section of Cardiff University (specialist areas)
Understanding European regulations and standards in Global Business
Brexit and implications on immigration for employers – Wales Centre for Public Policy
Policy and politics in uncertain times – Wales Centre for Public Policy
Industrial relations in European countries – A range of Industrial relations expertise across Cardiff Business School
Cultural Communications – range of expertise across Cardiff Business School and School of Journalism, Media, and Culture.

Further background

The Welsh Government has identified the Food & Drink Manufacturing Industry as a priority sector; subsequently, the Food & Drink Board was established to oversee the delivery of the Wales Food & Drink Industry Action Plan 2014 – 2020. A collaboration of relevant skills councils representing the food supply chain in Wales produced a detailed report on the food supply chain in Wales which concluded that a number of skills related issues need to be addressed.

Lantra has received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government to deliver the Food Skills Cymru Programme. There is £1.2million worth of funding available.

How to apply

If your organisation is a food and drink processing or manufacturing business based in Wales, you can apply for funding to support your staff training and development programme.

The amount of funding available for completing training courses is dependent on the size of the business:

Micro businesses - up to 80% (1 – 10 employees)
Small and medium employers - up to 70% (11 – 249 employees)
Large organisations - up to 50% (> 250 employees)

For more information visit the Food Skills Cymru website.

Contact us

If you would like to find out more about bespoke or tailored professional development training opportunities, and how the University can work with you to help your business, please contact Phil Swan, Business Development Manager at the CPD Unit: