National Food and Drink Training (NFDT), the training arm of Scottish Bakers, has been accredited to the matrix Standard, which the organisation say further demonstrates the high quality delivery of its apprenticeship programmes and skills courses.

The partner organisations support the bakery trade throughout Scotland.

NFDT’s aim is to add value to employers manufacturing process large or small, to aid and sustain the retainment and recruitment of workers, and promote the industry as a positive career destination through high-class apprenticeship training, specific to the food and drink sector.

The matrix Standard is the international quality model for organisations that delivers information, advice and / or guidance, either as their sole purpose or as part of their service offering.

NFDT’s course programme, which has been recognised by the international standard, includes:

• Bakery and Craft Bakery Skills
• Food Manufacturing Excellence
• Food and Drink Operations and Supply Chain Skills at Levels 5 and 6 in Scotland
• Food and Drink Operations, Bakery and ILM Team Leader/Supervisor at Levels 2 and 3 in England

Benchmarking best practices

Roger Chapman, head of the matrix service for the Growth Company said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Scottish Bakers and NFDT, and I would like to congratulate the team on their success. We believe that at the heart of high-quality advice and support services are strong leadership, excellent service and a focus on continuous improvement, all underpinned by effective use of the resources available.

“The matrix Standard is designed to benchmark organisations against best practice in these areas. With their accreditation success, NFDT is working to provide the best possible support to their clients.”

Crucial time

Commenting on the award, Scottish Bakers chief executive Alasdair Smith said: “We are delighted to have been awarded the matrix Standard and it comes at a crucial time with businesses facing very real recruitment and retention challenge.

“But it is vital businesses continue to invest their time in training staff to ensure they remain resilient into the future. We are delighted to be a trusted partner and the matrix Standard reaffirms this position.”