FDF Graduate Ambition
Rising tuition fees in England could prevent highly talented young people from going to university due to the huge costs and no guarantee of employment after graduation.
This presents food and drink manufacturers with a real opportunity to support
and provide certainty to young people.
Through collective industry action such as a sponsored industry degree course,
work placements and full-time employment, UK food and drink
manufacturers could secure access to a pool of high-quality, talented graduates
for the
future.
What is the Graduate Ambition about?
In partnership with the National Skills Academy (NSA) for food and drink, FDF
will
work with one or two universities to develop a new engineering degree course to
equip
graduates
with the technical skills and knowledge that the food and drink manufacturing
industry requires.
A recent FDF/NSA survey found that engineering is a difficult function for food
and drink manufacturers to recruit graduates and with no university provision
in
the UK for engineering and its application in the food and drink industry, it
was agreed that our Graduate Ambition should focus on developing an engineering
degree course.
Food and drink manufacturers will in return commit to supporting learners
throughout the degree course. The level of commitment will vary from company to
company. The Graduate Ambition will provide a menu of options for food and
drink
manufacturers, for example:
The Graduate Ambition will provide a menu of options for food and drink
manufacturers, for example:
- guest lecturers to inspire our potential team leaders of the future;
- getting involved in the recruitment process to secure high-calibre people;
- providing short-term work experience;
- offering internships as part of a sandwich degree;
- agreeing to employ a certain percentage of graduates at the end of the course.
For more information you can view the presentations below at the Graduate
Ambition
briefing for universities held on 19th April 2012 at the Department for
Business
Innovation and Skills' conference centre.
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Why are we developing an industry degree?
With rising tuition fees, coupled with declining numbers of 18-24 year-olds over
the next decade, we could see a 14% decline in British higher education (HE)
student numbers by 2020.
Student numbers in Newcastle, Sheffield, Lincoln, Swansea, Stoke-on-Trent and
Portsmouth could drop by around 40-50% while prestigious Universities such as
Durham could anticipate losses of around 20%[1].
Given this changing environment the UK food and drink manufacturing industry
will have to compete even harder against industries that are perceived to be
more
exciting and rewarding to attract highly talented graduates for the future. It
is
critical for the competitiveness of our industry that employers take collective
action now to prevent an insufficient flow of highly talented engineering
graduates
into the food and drink manufacturing sector.
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How can universities get involved?
Universities are invited to submit an expression of interest to work with
industry to deliver this exciting new initiative that will revolutionise the
delivery
of engineering into the UK food and drink manufacturing industry.
For more information please download an EOI form.
How can food and drink manufacturers get involved?
FDF's Graduate Ambition Project Group will shortlist one to two universities to
work with to deliver this Ambition.
Over the coming months, the Project Group will work closely with the NSA and our
chosen University partner to develop and shape the curriculum for an
engineering
degree course within a food and drink manufacturing context.
If you are interested in getting involved please contact Caroline Fox on 020
7836 2460 to join FDF's Graduate Ambition Project Group.
By the end of 2012, food and drink manufacturers will be invited to make a
commitment to support this initiative through the menu of options listed above.
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More Information
Notes:
[1] Student exodus could leave university cities 'ghost towns' by 2020
Last reviewed: 20 Apr 2012