A consortium of four leading UK research institutions is building a flexible training network that spans the entire agri-food supply chain—from soil and water to crops, animals, and nutrition. The problem is that graduates entering the agri-food industry are often highly specialised but lack a broad understanding of how the whole chain works. Industry partners, including Bakkavor, have told the consortium that cross-skilling is essential for key roles. The current training landscape is fragmented, with little integration between crop production, food safety, and business management. If this Advanced Training Partnership succeeds, it will create a single, lifelong learning community where workers can move from a one-day course to a PhD without leaving their jobs. Modules will be delivered through intensive teaching blocks, work-based projects, and e-learning. Research projects for MSc and doctoral students will be based in industry, with joint supervision from employer and academic. Fee bursaries will cover 100% of course fees for the first three years, then gradually shift to industry funding—a financial model designed to keep the partnership running long after the grant ends.
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Our ATP encompasses the entire agri-food sector and includes partners from leading research-based universities/institutions: University of Nottingham (top in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise in Panel 16: Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Science), Cranfield University (which accounts for 25% of the UK's full-time postgraduates in the agriculture and environment sector), Harper Adams University College (the UK's leading land-based HE college) and Rothamsted Research (the largest agricultural research centre in the UK). Therefore, within this consortium, we have both complementary research expertise and experience in offering all levels of training within the sector from CPD courses to research degrees. The wide-ranging nature and structure of our ATP will enable participants to select training across the sectors. For example, an individual working in fresh produce might wish to select modules in crop production alongside food quality, food safety and business management. Such an integrative approach will enable us to respond to industry need, and offer the potential for innovative cross-feeding in such training. A common theme from our industry partners was that graduates are highly specialised, but also mobile within the industry, and would benefit from a wider understanding of the agri-food sector (e.g. Bakkavor responded that the ATP would provide an 'opportunity for cross-skilling courses for key food sector roles'). We will develop a flexible and responsive Advanced Training Partnership spanning the entire agri-food supply chain, including soils, water, crops, animals, post-harvest, food and nutrition. Feedback from industry has demonstrated the demand for such an holistic view, as the modern agri-food industry is not confined to particular 'sectors'. We aim to harness the scientific and teaching expertise of higher-education (HE) partners with scientific outputs from the BBSRC and other funding bodies, to deliver to a wide cohort of work-based learners, that will encompass and enable a 'CPD to PhD' progression. Our comprehensive offer will enable participants to become life-long members of the ATP, enjoy the benefits of belonging to a vibrant community of colleagues in industry and academia, and obtain a wide range of technical and contextual skills that can be deployed for maximum impact across the chain. One-day courses, workshops and conferences will be organised in association with the appropriate levy bodies and other consortium colleagues who are experiences in delivery of training. This will minimise overlap with existing provision and allow us to pool resources to develop more effective training. Training towards formal qualifications will be delivered in a number of formats. Feedback from industry has shown that flexibility is essential, hence modules will be offered via intensive blocks of teaching, work-based modules and e-learning. For those who decide to pursue an MSc, MRes or Doctorate, the research project will be based in industry with joint supervision from the employer and an academic partner. Placements in industry and academia, of flexible duration (Knowledge Exchange Partnerships) will be offered within the ATP. These may be 'stand alone' or research training placements for those undertaking MSc or Doctoral studies. Partners have experinence of managing joint academe/industry research degree programmes through, for example, CASE awards. Fee bursaries will be offered for individuals currently employed in the agri-food sector. In the first 3 years of the partnership, the bursaries will cover 100% of the course fee, with industry contributing staff time and travel expenses. From year 4 onwards, the level of the fee bursaries will gradually reduce, with industry contributing a greater proportion towards the course fees each year. We have thus designed a financial model that will ensure long-term sustainability of the ATP beyond the grant period.
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