Dunbia forms Butchery Academy to plug skills gap
A unique Butchery Academy has been set up successfully by leading UK and Ireland meat processor Dunbia to plug a skills gap. Dunbia, now one of the UK and Ireland's most successful food businesses, teamed up with local schools to train young people in skills the company needs for continued growth. The initiative offers rewarding opportunities for school leavers who could experience difficulty in finding employment.
The academy is based at the company's headquarters in Dungannon in Northern Ireland.
Jim Dobson, Dunbia's group managing director, says: "The Butchery Academy was launched to offer an attractive choice for school leavers. It enables them to gain the skills we need and to achieve a recognised accreditation, the NVQ Level 2 in Food Manufacture. In addition, Dunbia is an approved IOSH (Institute of Safety & Health) Centre and trained 100 managers last year.
"Furthermore, managers are encouraged to work towards the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) Level 2 and 3 certificates and over 400 people in Dungannon have achieved an ILM qualification.
"As a global business selling in 15 markets we recognise the need to focus on measures to increase productivity and overall performance throughout the company. This is the way to ensure that we continue to compete successfully and profitably in today's very challenging markets.
"Developing our skills base through extensive investment in training has long been a strategic focus for the company. As a result of this focus, we have a comprehensive and structured training setup in our sites in Northern Ireland, Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.
"Our Dungannon operation, for instance, is an approved NVQ assessment centre and offers employees and all levels access to whatever training they require," he adds.
Dunbia has 10 sites and sales offices throughout Europe. The company, formed in 1976 by brothers Jim and Jack Dobson, employs 3,200 people across a wide range of disciplines. Itemploys around 1,000 in Northern Ireland, mostly in Dungannon, and is now one of Northern Ireland's biggest employers. It also has a pork processing plant near Ballymena.
The company supplies beef, lamb and pork products to local, national and international markets including the majority of the leading UK multiples
Dunbia was recently named 'Processor of the Year' at the Meat & Poultry Processing Awards in Birmingham, organised by the Meat Trades Journal. A recognised centre of excellence for innovation, Dunbia has won several industry awards in the past 18 months including a 'finalist for innovation' at the UTV Business Eye Viscount Awards in February.