Food and Drink Engineering Apprenticeship Launched to Meet Growing Demand
The initiative derives from discussions at the Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru / Food & Drink Skills Wales programme Expert Group where skills gaps in this field were identified, and aims to meet the growing demand for skilled engineers in the food and drink manufacturing sector.
Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs said:
'I am delighted to hear about the new Apprenticeship course at Pembrokeshire College, delivered in partnership with the Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru / Food & Drink Skills Wales programme. This initiative is a fantastic step forward in building a skilled workforce for the vital food and drink production and manufacturing sectors in Wales. By providing practical, hands-on training, this course will equip individuals with the expertise needed to thrive in these industries, ensuring a strong and sustainable future for our Welsh food and drink landscape.'
The course will commence in September 2025 at the College's Haverfordwest Campus. This three-year apprenticeship offers a hands-on, industry-focused curriculum, designed to equip apprentices with the essential skills needed to maintain and optimise food and drink production machinery.
Lois Pugh, Workforce Development Manager who has been at the forefront of discussions on behalf of Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru / Food & Drink Skills Wales programme, said:
'I am excited to see the launch of this course as a direct outcome of discussions at the Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru / Food & Drink Skills Wales programme Expert Group and to continue advocating for the apprenticeship opportunity, with a strong focus on encouraging businesses across South-West Wales to get involved and support this vital new initiative.'
As part of the initiative, Pembrokeshire College is looking to recruit students to participate in the apprenticeships programme. Businesses will be invited to partner with the college, providing apprentices with valuable on-the-job experience.
Dr Barry Walters, Principal, Pembrokeshire College said:
'Pembrokeshire College is delighted to be launching the Engineering Maintenance Apprenticeship for the Food and Drink industry this September. There's a strong demand for skilled engineers in this sector, and we are pleased to expand our current apprenticeship portfolio to better support the skills needs of our industry partners.'
FDQ (Food and Drink Qualifications) will set the assignments for the course, having facilitated the key relationships and collaborations necessary for its successful inception and ensuring apprentices receive high-quality, relevant training that meets industry standards.
This new apprenticeship programme reflects the Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru / Food & Drink Skills Wales programme's commitment to supporting the growth and development of the food and drink industry by nurturing the next generation of engineering professionals.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
North Wales Chronicle
39 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Welsh Rugby Union defends plans to halve number of professional men's teams
Welsh rugby's governing body has produced a radical plan to turn around the the game at both club and international level, outlining its ambitions in a 90-page consultation document entitled 'The Future of Elite Rugby in Wales'. There will be a six-week consultation period before the WRU makes a final decision on the plans, and WRU chief executive Abi Tierney has urged people to 'improve on the proposals' and provide 'something fit for purpose for Welsh rugby'. The WRU's proposal to halve its number of four men's professional sides – Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets – to two will be the biggest talking point in a document which outlined four potential models for the game in Wales. It remains unclear whether the two future sides being proposed will be new entities or existing teams, but the two organisations will each have a men's and women's team. Tierney said: 'This is a momentous day for Welsh rugby. No decisions have been made, but we feel based on the analysis this is the strongest (option) yet. 'I know how emotional rugby is in Wales and people will be hurting today, when they think what it could mean potentially for them and their their team. 'I recognise the hurt and anger people are going to be feeling. Change is hard and this is hard for fans. 'But fans' numbers drop has also not been a great experience for anybody, and we want to create an experience they can be proud of. 'What we were doing and keeping doing for fans was not the right thing. I would encourage everybody to imagine how exciting it could be and take that step into the future.' The WRU proposal comes amid Ospreys plans to move into a redeveloped stadium at St Helen's in Swansea for the 2026-27 season and the Scarlets having recently unveiled new investors. Dragons said this week elite professional rugby must continue in Gwent, while Cardiff are currently owned by the WRU having gone into administration in April. It is possible the WRU will face legal action from regions that could essentially be put out of business, with WRU chairman Richard Collier-Keywood saying 'two or three areas of potential legal challenge' exist. The WRU has also proposed the creation of a national campus at a site yet to be decided, which would be the home of the men's and women's professional teams, as well as Wales' national sides and the union's academy. Players were briefed on the WRU's plan on Tuesday and Dave Reddin, the new director of rugby and elite performance, is confident suggestions of possible player strike action will not materialise. Reddin said: 'The national campus would be a radical departure and doing something different, a defensive moat for Welsh rugby and creating a competitive advantage. 'We've got to look outside the box if we want to try and do things differently. 'Be brave enough to to lead sometimes and do things that no one else is doing. Do things things that people think are a bit nutty, too different or too uncomfortable.'
Western Telegraph
an hour ago
- Western Telegraph
Waitrose apologises as product recalled due to 'health risk'
The supermarket chain has recalled its Waitrose & Partners Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta from shelves in its Scottish and Welsh stores. The pasta poses a 'possible health risk' to some customers as it contains mustard which is not mentioned on the label. The affected pasta has a use by date of August 27, 2025 and comes in packs of 375g. A spokesman for the Food Standards Agency (FSA) said: 'Waitrose is recalling the above product from customers and has been advised to contact the relevant allergy support organisations, which will tell their members about the recall. 'The company has also issued a point-of-sale notice to its customers. 'These notices explain to customers why the product is being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the product. 'If you have bought the above product and have an allergy to mustard, do not eat it. Instead return it to your local Waitrose & Partners branch for a refund. 'You can contact Waitrose Customer Care on 0800 188 884, Option 4.' A Waitrose spokesman added: 'We apologise that it has been necessary to recall this product and for the inconvenience caused.' Recommended Reading: What is a product recall? If there is a problem with a food product that means it should not be sold, then it might be 'withdrawn' (taken off the shelves) or 'recalled' (when customers are asked to return the product). The FSA issues Product Withdrawal Information Notices and Product Recall Information Notices to let consumers and local authorities know about problems associated with food. In some cases, a 'Food Alert for Action' is issued. This provides local authorities with details of specific actions to be taken on behalf of consumers.
South Wales Argus
3 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Lynne Neagle MS on bus £1 fares for young people in Torfaen
Young people with a valid free MyTravelPass card will be able to unlock single fares for just £1 or day passes allowing unlimited travel for just £3. The new £1 bus fares from the Welsh Government will better connect young people across Torfaen and beyond. Transport costs shouldn't be a barrier to young people achieving their goals or their ability explore Wales. Travelling to school, to work or to meet friends should be easy for everyone. If you are a young person in Torfaen and you don't already have a MyTravelPass I would encourage you to apply for one, to take full advantage of the travel discounts. More information on how the scheme works and details of how to apply for a free MyTravelPass is available at the website: mytravelpass. And from November 2025, the discounted travel ticket scheme will be extended to include five to 15-year-olds. Until then existing reduced fares for children will apply. It was great to hear the First Minister, Eluned Morgan recently say that cutting the cost of travel for young people and providing better transport for all is one of our Government's top priorities. Young people are our future, we must make sure we deliver on our promises to them. The travel pass scheme will initially run as a 12-month pilot – it will be for a future government to determine whether the scheme will be extended. Some £15m is being provided over two financial years (2025-26 and 2026-27) to support £1 bus fares for 16 to 21-year-olds as part of the Budget deal with the Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds. The Welsh Government will invest a further £7m to extend the scheme to 5 to 15-year-olds, from November 3. The scheme will be voluntary for bus operators. I hope our young people in Torfaen will take advantage of the scheme and plan a journey near or far. Lynne Neagle is Senedd member for Torfaen.
