SAP_MDS_Case-10

Trainees undertake placements at horticultural businesses

There has never been a more exciting time to get involved in MDS. Over the last two years, MDS has been working to increase the number of trainees it recruits, as well as to fine tune its management training programme, ensuring that trainees receive an accredited qualification at the end of the two-year scheme. To this end, MDS has forged a partnership withQuantet Groupto convert the programme into an apprenticeship, providing a more attractive offering to trainees and members alike.

Our members had been telling us that they’re struggling to spend their apprenticeship levy as they have to pay into it each month regardless of what they’re spending. They also considered there to be a limited number of organisations offering the sort of training that they need.

This became an opportunity for us to revamp our training programme. Taking on board trainee feedback as well as using experience MDS has of delivering management training to industry graduates over the last 32 years, we have designed a brand new training offering.

From autumn 2018, the MDS training programme will become a Level 5 Leadership and Management apprenticeship, accredited by the Chartered Management Institute. The additional benefit of this is that MDS members will be able to put their own staff through the MDS training programme using their apprenticeship levy.

The programme is exclusive to MDS and its members and is ideal for employees showing leadership potential. The partnership between MDS and the Quantet Group has gone a step further than the minimum standard for this qualification, as the programme covers both the requirements for the Level 5 Operations/Departmental Apprenticeship Standard plus five additional sessions to deliver skills specifically for the food and fresh produce sector.

This would usually only be offered at a significant additional cost above the levy, but MDS together with Quantet can offer this programme inclusive of all the additional courses within the set levy fee.

The cost of the two-year training programme is £9,000. However, members with funds in their levy can use this to fund training for their own employees. Those members who have used their levy or who are not levy payers can still access the training as Quantet can access 90 per cent of costs through government funding. The fee to these members for the two-year programme would therefore be just £900.

The changes will also enable MDS to keep the training costs for its own graduates to a minimum as members will be able to pass down up to 10 per cent of their unused levy or by accessing co-government funding.

At a time when the industry is facing a huge number of regulatory, environmental and political challenges, as well as the potential ongoing trend for growth by acquisition, businesses are increasingly in need of people with solid leadership experience and training who can help navigate these changes.

We hope to continue to provide the industry with these skills, via our graduate scheme, but now also by providing training more widely to those already working in the sector.