Food Industry Technologist Level 3
Apprenticeship - From Field to Fork
Food Industry Technologist Level 3
Our Level 3 Food Industry Technologist Apprenticeship will equip learners with the industry-specific techniques needed to drive sustainable growth for your food and drink manufacturing business or those with food and drink operations.
Delegates will:
- Cover a broad range of food technology and science topics
- Implement real business improvements and benefit from practical days at state-of-the-art facilities
- Gain an industry-recognised qualification and progress their career
Businesses will:
- Receive a guaranteed return on investment benefiting from greater innovation in new product development
- Maximise profitability and meet customer requirements
- Ensure food regulations and standards, including Food Safety and HACCP, are adhered to
Key Points
Route: Apprenticeship
Typical Duration: 24 Months
Level of Delivery: Level 3
Funding Band: £18,000
Minimum Entry Requirements: English and Maths GCSE D (3) / FS Level 1 (there is an initial assessment which also covers whether this is required if not already obtained
Delivery: Blended onsite and online, instructor-led
End Point Assessment: Multiple choice test, workplace project, presentation and professional discussion
Food Industry Technologist Apprenticeship Level 3
This Food Industry Technologist Level 3 Apprenticeship has been developed by key stakeholders in the food and drink manufacturing industry to upskill existing employees and help meet key skills gaps, as well as keeping high-standards across the industry. It covers a broad range of topics including food and drinks regulations, food safety and technical quality management.
This apprenticeship is targeted at people involved at all stages of the food and drink production life cycle. Delegates will develop their food science knowledge to ensure the smooth transition of food and drink products from farm to fork. This apprenticeship focuses on ensuring that technical and quality standards are achieved throughout the food and drink manufacturing process, whilst maximising profitability to meet customer requirements.
The programme will be delivered through online workshops and coaching sessions, and supported by practical days at the state-of-the-art Harper Adams University.
What Are Food Technologists?
Food Technologists are a crucial part of the field-to-fork journey, ensuring that produce is safe to eat by the consumer, which could be human or animal, and is of consistent quality. Millions of food products are produced and sold each and every day, representing a huge and dynamic industry not just in the UK but around the world.
What is an Apprenticeship?
Apprenticeship standards have been created by industry for industry, to reduce the skills gap and provide the relevant Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours (KSBs) to support organisational challenges and goals. They are designed to develop talent and industry-specific skills that businesses need to grow and develop.
Please see below our upcoming starts for Food Industry Technologist Level 3 Apprenticeship
Need some advice or have a question?
To find out more why not download our programme brochure?
Who Is The Food Technologist Apprenticeship For?
The Food Technologist Apprenticeship has been designed to help upskill existing staff and provide them with the key skills and qualifications needed to excel in your organisation. This apprenticeship is suitable for employees currently working in the food and drink manufacturing industry or involved with food and drink manufacturing operations who want to progress in their current role or need to develop relevant KSBs for a promotion. This includes managers and senior team members who are looking to achieve more.
Delegates who complete this apprenticeship progress into a range of careers, including:
- Food and drink technologist
- Senior Food technologist
- Technical manager
- New product development specialist
- Technical quality auditor
- CI specialist
- Quality assurance supervisor
No previous formal qualifications are needed for this apprenticeship, however delegates must be in a relevant technical role to be able to apply the knowledge, skills and behaviours developed on this programme.
English and Maths Functional Skills Level 2 will be worked towards as part of the apprenticeship programme (unless they have already achieved this). At CQM T&C, our Head of Functional Skills provides dedicated support to help learners achieve their Functional Skills Level 2 qualifications. This apprenticeship is also suitable for employees who have English as a second language (ESL) or who have completed their high school education overseas.
Why Choose CQM T&C
We have been delivering world-class, business-focused solutions for over 30 years.
CQM is on the Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR) and we are compliant with the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). We offer award-winning, high-quality training and apprenticeship programmes that are tailored to the needs of food and drink manufacturing employers.
Although we work with a range of industries and employers, 85% of our programmes are delivered to food and drink clients demonstrating our long-standing commitment to this industry. We understand the importance of realising ROI and harnessing a continuous improvement culture.
We’re Specialists At What We Do
Our core expertise is in Lean Six Sigma, Leadership and Management Development and a small selection of skills-based apprenticeship programmes mainly aimed at the manufacturing industry. By only delivering a small number of skills-based programmes, we can ensure our apprenticeships are delivered to the highest possible standard. CQM was named SME Provider of the Year 2023 at the OAL Awards – a testament to our commitment to offering world-class training solutions.
Unrivalled Learning Experience
Our apprenticeships are delivered using a combination of coaching, workshops, and practical days to ensure that all delegates can apply their knowledge, skills and behaviours within their role. There is a strong emphasis on making a real difference through practical-based learning. Our high quality training and development is reflected in our success rates, with a significant number of delegates achieving the highest grade of distinction upon completion.
We offer a dedicated and award-winning learner manager system, Aptem, that allows delegates and organisations to easily track their progress. Delegates will undergo a robust onboarding process, including an engagement session, initial assessment and skills review. Our aim is to ensure that all delegates are on the right programme for their skill level and identify how we can best support them to reach their goals.
The Food Technologist Delivery Team
At CQM Training & Consultancy, our food technology development coaches are not just highly qualified to teach and coach, they have significant and relevant industry experience. They are expertly positioned to understand what delegates are going through and the issues they might be facing. Our development coaches can offer specific insights into overcoming industry-specific challenges and will use relevant real-life examples in every aspect of their programme delivery.
Delegates in this apprenticeship programme will be assigned a development coach who will oversee their cohort and act as their main point of contact. The two development coaches who deliver the Food Technologist apprenticeship are Richard and Paulina.
“It has been truly amazing, I can’t speak highly enough of the support I have been given by CQM T&C and my development coach, Richard Everitt. The way Richard has delivered the course has been exceptional, he has been very understanding, he spoke ‘my language’ which helped me understand the topics much more clearly with real-life examples.”
How is the Food Industry Technologist Apprenticeship Funded?
Apprenticeship funding in England primarily comes from the Apprenticeship Levy, paid by employers with a payroll of over £3 million annually. These funds can be used to train apprentices, making it a cost-effective way to upskill staff and address skill gaps. This includes the Food Industry Technologist Level 3, representing a fantastic opportunity to invest in your teams with £18,000 worth of training and assessment per delegate.
Smaller organisations can also benefit from apprenticeship funding, with a minimum of 95% funding available for your chosen programme, including the Food Industry Technologist Level 3 apprenticeship. The Food Tech L3 programme, which has a value of £18,000 worth of training, requires £900 of investment over 24 months, or just £37.50 per month. There may also be additional funding that SMEs can access, the team at CQM are happy to advise you on all the opportunities available and help with funding applications.
Benefits of Food Industry Technologist Level 3 for Businesses
Our Food Industry Technologist Level 3 apprenticeship is funded by the Apprenticeship Levy, so businesses and organisations of all sizes can benefit from funding to access apprenticeships that have been built by industry for industry.
Investing in this Food Industry Technologist Level 3 apprenticeship for your employees means you will:
- Receive a guaranteed return on investment, both in terms of financial gain and positive change within your organisation.
- Remain competitive in a highly competitive industry by producing innovative products that match consumer demands.
- Drive sales growth by expanding your product portfolio.
- Be sure that your employees are up-to-date with industry trends and the latest food technology best practices.
- Develop experts in food safety regulations lowering the legal risk for your business.
- Foster a culture of innovation and creativity within your organisation.
- Optimise product production processes helping to reduce costs and improve workplace efficiency.
- Improve your brand reputation by having appropriately qualified food technologists on your team.
Benefits of Food Industry Technologist Level 3 for Apprentices
The Food Technologist apprenticeship is a funded vocational training programme that has been designed by industry stakeholders to provide apprentices with a thorough understanding of food technology best practices. Delegates will gain practical real-world skills and knowledge that can be applied to their roles.
Below are some of the key benefits of participating in this apprenticeship scheme. Delegates will:
- Gain hands-on experience in food safety, quality control, sensory evaluation and product formulation.
- Acquire up-to-date industry knowledge and expertise in food technology, including the latest trends, technology and techniques.
- Become well-versed in food regulations and compliance standards such as HACCP, VACCP and TACCP to ensure all new and existing products meet legal requirements.
- Understand the importance of quality assurance at all stages of the manufacturing process, including how to select raw materials, optimise production processes and conduct thorough quality checks.
- Develop the creative skills required to develop new products that meet consumer needs.
- Collaborate with different stakeholders throughout the business to improve teamwork, communication and networking skills.
- Improve their problem-solving skills to effectively identify and resolve issues related to product quality or processing.
- Enhance their project management skills to undertake projects involving multiple milestones, deadlines and stakeholders.
- Carry out a work-based project which creates a direct impact and measurable improvement through a business-focused solution.
- Gain Maths and English Functional Skills Level 2 (if not already achieved).
- Get support from a dedicated mentor within their organisation.
I think the whole programme has been extremely beneficial as it isn’t just about food technology. I had originally thought it would be mainly focussed on microbiology and technical lab work. I was pleasantly surprised to learn it was much broader, covering wider topics such as where HACCP started, if you were to set up a business what you would need to consider before serving food and drink to customers, food safety and regulations and of course continuous improvement.
You can also view our full open programme brochure and schedule here.
Lean Manufacturing Operative Level 2
This Apprenticeship Programme is ideal for those who will be expected to carry out work safely and meet the exacting quality standards demanded in a fast paced and efficient processing environment and are interested in developing themselves into a multi-skilled operator through process ownership.
Process Leader Level 4
This Apprenticeship Programme is ideal for those directing production activities and operations. Process Leaders effectively lead and manage large teams as well as providing technical/specialist input and direction to their own team and to others. Process Leader are responsible for determining and managing budgets and resources.
Need guidance on your Levy Spend?
Download our detailed Levy Calculator now to accurately plan and forecast your ongoing monthly, and annual spend on Apprenticeship programmes.
Apprenticeship Levy provides funding for investment into Apprenticeship programmes, so it is really important to understand your current position.