Become a technical professional and nurture your passion for the food industry, learning how to ensure products are safe to eat, of consistent appearance, taste, and texture

About the apprenticeship

How long: 3-4 years, part-time

Start date: September

Course level: Level 6

University award: BSc (Honours) Professional Practice in Food Technology

How much it costs: funded through the employer

Course summary

• Learn to meet the technical challenges of the food industry rigorously and creatively
• Apply your learning in the workplace immediately, helping your business to progress

You’ll work to develop and embed critical skills across food manufacturing to support a growing and important industry.

Completing this innovative work-based course will give you the qualification and accreditation you need to provide leadership and help businesses tackle tomorrow’s food industry issues.

This course meets the food industry technical professional apprenticeship standard.

How you learn

Core topics including food science, food technology and food safety management are delivered alongside work-based projects, allowing you to get the best of both worlds.

You will learn through: 

• block study periods of typically 3 days
• scientific reports
• workplace audits
• technical portfolios
• presentations
• examinations

You will progress through the course following successful achievement of assessments, which address the learning outcomes for each module and allow you to complete the course.

You will also complete an endpoint assessment towards the end of the apprenticeship.

Campus facilities

You'll study at our City Campus, with access to state-of-the-art laboratory and processing facilities to develop the practical and intellectual skills you need to excel in the food industry.

Entry requirements

Throughout the course, apprentices spend at least 20% of their working hours at university. They can be existing employees looking to develop their careers, or new applicants to the business.

Applicants must:

• be over 18
• not be in full time education
• have the right to abode in the UK
• meet the course entry requirements

GCSE (or equivalent)

Maths and English at level 2 or above (grade 4, or previously C)

If you don't have this yet, you'll need to achieve this level before you take your end-point assessment.

UCAS points and college grades

For school leavers: 

• 96 UCAS points (280 UCAS points pre-2017) and
• One A level in a science or food technology

For applicants with relevant work experience in food preparation and/or food handling:

• one A level or equivalent

Additional qualifications

Applicants whose first language is not English must have an IELTS score of level 6.0 or above.

Modules

The programme adopts a blended learning approach with modules delivered through a combination of lectures, class-based seminars, practical work and site visits.

Year one

• Reflective and personal development skills
• Food supply chain management
• Food composition: chemistry and nutrition
• Food composition: microbiological ecology and pathogens
• The physics of heating and cooling food
• Work-based review

Year two

• Reflective skills for professional performance
• Food safety, HACCP and risk management
• Food processing technology
• Food conversion operations and packaging technology
• Practices in food product development
• Work-based project

Year three

• Professional review and future planning
• Work-based investigation
• Food innovation management
• Food operations management
• Food quality management and labelling

Module and assessment information for future years is displayed as currently validated and may be liable to change.