Bill Jermey is to retire as CEO of skills charity the Food and Drink Training and Education Council (ftc) at its AGM later this month, after over 50 years working in the industry.

Jermey began his career in 1968 as a graduate production trainee with Unilever. Since then, he has managed meat processing factories, run an automated bakery, led a management buyout of a ready meals company and served as president of the British Meat Manufacturers Association (now BMPA). He joined the ftc in 2005.

Formerly the Meat Training Council, Jermey rebranded the ftc shortly after being appointed chief executive in 2006. Some of his achievements over the years include:

• Restructuring the organisation to create a new group structure, including a food industry awarding body, FDQ, and acquiring the Institute of Meat (IoM)
• Supporting the development of the first food industry “trailblazer” apprenticeship – the Butcher Standard, in 2015. According to ftc, this apprenticeship was hailed as “exemplar” by government and is widely accepted as breathing new life into the butchery sector
• Leading the development of the WATOK (Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing) qualification, which ftc said has helped raise professional standards in the slaughter industry and is now a mandated qualification within the Abattoir Worker apprenticeship
• Developing the principle of an accredited ‘Master Butcher’ qualification with the IoM.

In December 2020, Jermey was instrumental in challenging government on the Lifetime Skills Guarantee and its lack of food industry qualifications. Two food manufacturing qualifications were added to the register last year. Ftc said: “With the industry facing a deepening labour crisis this could not have come at a better time and will undoubtedly help companies recruit apprentices.”

“An amazing ambassador”

Commenting on Jermey’s retirement, Terry Fennell, CEO of sister company FDQ said: “Bill has been an amazing ambassador for the ftc group, not just in his achievements, but in the ethical tone he set for the group, one which we value and follow ourselves. His vision and calm direction have helped make FDQ the company it is today. His retirement is certainly well-earnt and I wish him well.”

New beginnings

AHDB’s Christine Walsh has been announced as ftc’s new CEO. Walsh is currently head of stakeholder engagement and management (interim) at the levy board, a role she intends to continue, alongside her work with ftc.

For over a decade, Walsh worked as a consultant, joining the Red Meat Industry Forum in 2006, where she developed the ‘Fellowship in Meat Management’ qualification in conjunction with Cranfield and Cambridge universities and Roskilde College in Denmark. She later went on to advise Harper Adams in designing a Post Graduate Certificate and a Diploma in Meat Business Management.

Walsh also worked as a business coach for Cranfield University for over a decade and has lectured at the department of food science at Nottingham University.

On her appointment, Walsh said: “I’m delighted to join ftc at such a pivotal time for the food industry. Bill leaves the ftc group in a strong position which will help us to continue developing qualifications and apprenticeships to support current industry needs. More importantly, it enables us to focus on anticipating and identifying the future training needs of the UK food industry. Now that’s a very exciting prospect indeed.”