A shortage in the labour market means the baking industry – like the wider food and drink industry – is struggling to fill vacancies, so the recognition of NFDT's training services is indeed timeous.
The vision of NFDT is to promote the food and drink industry as a positive career destination, and aid and sustain the retainment and recruitment of workers.
This is underpinned by Scottish Bakers’ ‘for the good of all’ mission to make the baking industry more competitive and sustainable through the skills and development of staff.
“We are delighted to have been awarded the matrix Standard and it comes at a crucial time with businesses facing very real recruitment and retention challenge,” said Scottish Bakers chief executive Alasdair Smith.
“But it is vital businesses continue to invest their time in training staff to ensure they remain resilient into the future. We are delighted to be a trusted partner and the matrix Standard reaffirms this position.”
Industry benchmark
The matrix Standard is recognised globally as the quality framework for organisations that deliver information, advice and/or guidance (IAG), benchmarking services against best practice.
NFDT is doing this by providing the widest possible range of benefits to help employers sustain and grow their businesses, including skills development, technical information and assistance, competitions, sector intelligence and business networking. For example, the Bite Size Chunks programme in Scotland is a series of 10 online learning modules – funded by Scotland Enterprise – that covers factors like improving profit/margins and creating a more motivated and engaged workforce.
Other courses include Bakery and Craft Bakery Skills, Food Manufacturing Excellence, Food and Drink Operations and Supply Chain Skills at Levels 5 and 6 in Scotland; and Food and Drink Operations, Bakery and ILM Team Leader/Supervisor at Levels 2 and 3 in England.
“This is a fantastic achievement for Scottish Bakers and NFDT,” said Roger Chapman, head of the matrix Service for The Growth Company.
“We believe that at the heart of high-quality advice and support services are strong leadership, excellent service and a focus on continuous improvement, all underpinned by effective use of the resources available.
“The matrix Standard is designed to benchmark organisations against best practice in these areas. With their accreditation success, NFDT is working to provide the best possible support to their clients.”
