Two Cambridgeshire girls and one boy are the first to be taken on as apprentices at potato supplier Greenvale’s Floods Ferry site.
Due to the success of the apprenticeship scheme at its Duns site in Berwickshire, the UK potato grower and supplier decided to roll a similar scheme out to their March site in September.
The new scheme offers an IPQ Level 2 Certificate for Proficiency in Food Industry Skills and is delivered through the University of Lincoln, who is the company’s training provider.
The three teens, aged between 17 and 19, were chosen by Greenvale as the most suitable candidates following a rigorous selection process.
The Production Apprentice scheme at Floods Ferry lasts for one year and is supported by the University of Lincoln’s National Centre for Food Manufacturing. Each apprentice will spend two months at a time working in the various areas of production: Despatch; Intake Quality Assurance; Quality Control; Weighbridge; Ticket Office (labelling); Planning.
Rachel Thorold, Learning & Development Co-Ordinator, said:
“This is a very exciting time for our company as these youngsters are the new future of the business.”
Rachel continued:
“It’s the perfect opportunity for those with an interest in food manufacturing, who want to learn the process first hand, as opposed to in a classroom. We would like to see someone progress through the company and we aim to give each apprentice enough knowledge and understanding that gets them a job at the end of it.”
Greenvale are looking for young candidates with a minimum GCSE Maths and English grade C. An interest in agriculture and/or food production is preferable.
Trevor Dear, Operations Director at Greenvale Floods Ferry, said:
“I have worked at Greenvale for 30 years, having worked my way from the ground up. Working in food production is an extremely satisfying and rewarding job and it shows here as many of the staff, myself included, have been here for over 20 years.”
Greenvale’s Floods Ferry site processes and packs potatoes for its GreenVale brand, along with many other varieties for leading retailers such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
For those who are interested in the Production Apprentice scheme at Floods Ferry, Greenvale will consider applications for a January 2015 start.
For more information or to apply please contact Rachel Thorold on 01354 672058 or email rachel.thorold@greenvale.co.uk
