“Get involved” call to food and grocery businesses.
Unemployed youngsters from in and around Birmingham will have the opportunity to develop the skills they need to get a career within the food industry when they visit Mondelēz International as part of a nationwide campaign to tackle youth unemployment.
Feeding Britain’s Future – Skills for Work Month 2014 is led by research charity IGD and gives young people access to workshops in farms, factories and stores, giving them first-hand knowledge of the employability skills needed to operate in these environments.
Partnering with Jobcentre Plus, Mondelēz International will invite participants to visit its Bournville base on Thursday 4th and Monday 15th September where they will see what it takes to create some of its most famous chocolate brands including Cadbury. They will also have the opportunity to have some coaching and mentoring from volunteers and improve their employability skills.
Last year the campaign reached more than 12,000 job seekers across more than 1,000 locations nationwide; creating more than 40,000 training opportunities for unemployed people since its conception in 2012. Kelly Farrell, community affairs manager at the Bournville site said: “We’ve been involved with the Feeding Britain’s Future campaign since its launch in 2012 and it has been extremely encouraging to see young unemployed people engaging with our employee volunteers. It is also a great opportunity for them to use their expertise and skills to mentor the next potential generation of manufacturers within the food industry.”
The food and grocery industry is the UK’s biggest private sector employer providing 3.6 million jobs. Young people from Birmingham will get a chance to learn about the range of careers available when they visit Mondelēz International next month.
Joanne Denney-Finch, Chief Executive, IGD, said: “During September, we want businesses of all sizes to get involved in the campaign and offer pre-employment training. In such a tough marketplace, today’s young unemployed need all the help and support they can get. We can’t expect them to play the game if nobody explains the rules. This is exactly what Feeding Britain’s Future is all about, bringing together organisations throughout the supply chain all around the UK to invest in the future of young people and the workforce of the next generation.”
For more information about Feeding Britain’s Future visit www.igd.com/feedingbritainsfuture
