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The Aim of the Food Technologist Apprenticeship
apprenticeship standards are developed ‘by employers for employers.’ Nobody knows better what is needed in a job role than the employers themselves.
“Apprentices bring a new energy to the business, a new way of thinking”
Apprenticeship Information
Food technologists are found in all aspects of the supply chain – growers, food manufacturers, and retailers. They may work in laboratories, development kitchens or in food factories. Their role is to ensure food products are safe to eat and produced to a consistently high standard.
Typical responsibilities of a Food Technologist include reviewing and maintaining technical procedures, conducting sensory analysis, evaluating and costing products, carrying out audits, and producing management data.
The food technologist apprenticeship is set at level 3 and typically takes 24-30 months to complete, with end-point assessment (EPA) taking place in the final 12 weeks of the programme.
On completion of the programme food technologist apprentices may progress in future to being a technical manager, a quality, process development or new product development specialist, or an auditor.
Achievement of a Level 3 Diploma in Food Technology is a pre-requisite to taking the end-point assessment.
Over the course of study, food technologists should be able to gather extensive food science knowledge, as well as a comprehensive understanding of Food Safety, Health and Safety and HAACP regulations and legislation.
Level 3 Food Technologist
Food technologists play integral roles across the entire supply chain, including growers, manufacturers, and retailers. Whether in laboratories, development kitchens, or food factories, they ensure food safety and maintain high production standards consistently.
Food Technologist Apprenticeship Funding
A revised version of this has been agreed and is available for information only at present. It will replace the version below for new starts from 01/05/24 with a funding band of £18,000. Funding for apprenticeships is either via co-investment with government or the Apprentice Levy.
Large food manufacturers (with a wage bill over £3million pa) fund their apprenticeships through the levy. The levy is collected by HMRC at a rate of 0.5% of a business’s monthly wage bill.
Smaller employers (with an annual wage bill below £3m) fund their apprenticeships through co-investment with government. Employers only contribute 5% of their apprentices training and end-point assessment costs, with government funding the remaining 95%, up to the funding band maximum.
For employers with less than 50 employees that 5% is waived if their apprentice is between 16-18 years or between 19-24 and has a local authority education, health and care plan or has been in the care of a local authority.
All employers can now negotiate with their approved training provider, to get good value production line training that suits their business. It is also up to the employer to choose their preferred end-point assessment organisation.
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Learn more about the apprenticeship funding for butchery bands and maximum £ cap
Apprenticeship Funding
Click the button below to learn more about the government funding for apprenticeships.