Background
- The majority of the kitchen industry agrees that there is a need for a more professional approach within the business, and part of that requirement is the need for tailored education.
- Most companies in the industry struggle to find staff with the foundation of understanding and an appropriate level of education to immediately fulfil a role within the business. One of the primary reasons is that there is no pathway through education into the industry. This is an issue, which has been debated extensively for at least the past 15 years.
- In 2014, a Foundation Degree in kitchen design (at level 4 & 5) was developed and established at Buckinghamshire New University, which has been supported by key members of the kitchen industry including, Blanco, Blum UK, BSH, Egger, Hettich UK, Miele, the KBSA and dozens of independent kitchen companies.
- There are two very important points about the foundation degree course. Firstly, it is a BLENDED LEARNING course, which means that it is a combination of education and work experience. Most students have a job and are learning at work while being exposed to a wider education and subsequent foundation tailored specifically for the kitchen industry. Secondly, it is a DISTANCE LEARNING course, which means students do not need to live near the university campus, as the course is delivered via the internet with Skype tutorials with students getting together three times a year for residential blocks.
- In 2015, The Kitchen Education Trust (TKET) was formed to be the link between the industry and education. Its primary purpose is to advance educational opportunities for the benefit of the kitchen industry. The Trust is a registered charity and raises funds from industry to provide scholarships and support to individuals and courses. It also helps to shape the course content via the University’s Industry Advisory Panel.
Initiative
- The foundation course has so far proved successful, with students and employers finding that there are many benefits to this blended learning approach. It requires commitment from both parties, but is also a dynamic and cost-effective way of training and preparing students for a role within the industry. Our aim is to extend this principle, with the creation of alternative options, to form a cohesive programme of education providing different pathways into the industry at different levels.
- From May 2017, the Government is introducing an apprenticeship levy on large-scale businesses to fund apprenticeship schemes for industries that apply for it. In order to participate in this, industry bodies will need to have registered with the Government and have a recognised educational standard.
- Achieving a recognised standard and making an application is a very complex process and not something that can be explained in one page, however, this is an opportunity for the kitchen industry to formulate an education programme that is standardised and recognised throughout the industry.
- There are a variety of apprenticeships that potentially may be pursued by the kitchen industry, and this will be the subject of debate once we have registered our interest. Obvious categories might include a sales design technician for the retail side of business, a CAD technician, project manager or joiner for the manufacturing and/or installation side. The courses would be a similar set up to the Foundation Degree course, insofar as they would be blended and distance learning courses.
- The registration of a broad apprenticeship standard category under “Furniture Trailblazer” (at level 3) has already been submitted by the Furniture Makers Company and it is likely the Government would require the kitchen industry to pursue its apprenticeship scheme within this category.
- In order for the kitchen industry to have a strong voice in this, or any future, registration, we need to act as one body, and we are asking industry members to commit to backing this initiative by SIGNING THIS FORM as a starting point in order to make progress with our aims and objectives.
- It is proposed that the initiative is presented by the joint kitchen industry through TKET, which is set up primarily for this purpose. After initial interest, has been established it is proposed that those who have signed up will be offered the opportunity to meet and get involved more directly with the initiative and the trust. The proposed meeting will be at the beginning of May, venue TBC so please sign, scan and email your support to [email protected] by the end of March 2017.
Company Name___________________ Date______________
Individual Name___________________ Position______________
TKET, 11 Wigmore Street, London W1U 1PE