Produce World Investing in the Fresh Produce Stars of the Future
Produce World Group, the UK’s largest grower and supplier of fresh vegetables, is teaming up with the University of Lincoln to launch an Agri-Food Trainee scheme to find the future stars of the fresh produce industry by offering paid-for work experience and a university degree. The scheme is offering students the opportunity to gain a foot-hold in the sector by working for Produce World across all aspects of the business, while studying for an industry-leading qualification in Food Manufacture (BSc Hons Degree). There is an additional benefit that they will have no student debt at the end of the course.
To take part in the scheme, student candidates will need to have achieved 3 A-Levels (BTEC equivalent) at grade C or above, and be able to invest three to four and half years in completing the degree university course alongside working at Produce World.
In order to complete the course at the University of Lincoln’s Holbeach site and work for Produce World across its sites in Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire, candidates will be required to live locally and have access to a car.
In addition to the Agri-Food Trainee scheme, Produce World Group aims to get more people working and into the fresh produce industry through the “Tasty Jobs” scheme, an innovative welfare-to-work scheme designed to attract young job hunters into food manufacturing. The group has “Tasty Jobs” representatives across all its sites, with the “Tasty Jobs” team at Produce World Yaxley helping seven people get back into work, one of whom joined Produce World on a permanent basis at its Yaxley site.
The winning candidate will be working on a salary of £14,000 per annum and will gain their degree at The National Centre for Food Manufacturing on the University of Lincoln’s Holbeach campus in South Lincolnshire. The course will follow the format of distance learning with attended study blocks, with the trainee starting in September 2015.
Interested candidates can apply to be on the Agri-Food Trainee scheme by downloading an application form at http://ncfmholbeach.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk/2015/02/11/a-world-of-opportunity-for-the-budding-stars-of-the-future/. Applications must be submitted to shagreen@lincoln.ac.uk by the 31stMarch 2015, with interviews being held during April 2015.
