Funding boost for courses at National Centre for Food Manufacturing

The DEFRA award will come from a share of the £100m UK Seafood Fund, set up to support the long-term future and sustainability of the UK fisheries and seafood industries.

It will enable the NCFM to develop degrees and higher level apprenticeships in support of the seafood processing sector.

The new courses will enhance technical skills and increase knowledge on sustainability, and ensure a high quality of training for existing workers, new entrants and young people into the sector. They will also promote seafood career opportunities and raise awareness of the sector.

Professor Val Braybrooks, Dean at the National Centre for Food Manufacturing, University of Lincoln, said:

 ‘’We are delighted to have been awarded funds to adapt our successful food manufacturing higher and degree apprenticeship offer and develop new provision to meet the skills needs of Seafood Processing businesses.

“The new programmes will support the development of aspiring leaders in our sustainability led and rapidly changing sector and we look forward to collaborating with businesses and partners across the UK to fuel the talent pipeline.

“We are indebted to members of the Seafood Grimsby and Humber Alliance (SGHA) for their support in informing our plans and we now look forward to working together with the sectors’ employers across the country, along with our educational partner the University of the Highlands and Islands in Shetland, to deliver this flagship skills scheme for the industry and unite our clusters and Seafood Processing communities through it’.”