The Northern Ireland Bakery Council (NIBC) has developed a training partnership with Belfast Metropolitan College and Scottish Bakers.  

The partnership will lead to more than 100 people currently employed in the bakery sector in Northern Ireland becoming qualified in their chosen career.

The NIBC represents the key plant bakers in Northern Ireland and they are working to develop skills and qualifications in the sector. All training will be delivered on-site and at a time to suit the businesses.

Niall Irwin, chairman of the NIBC, said: “This is a clear demonstration of the commitment that Northern Ireland bakery companies have to further the development of their employees. We at Irwin’s Bakery, Allied Bakeries and Premier Foods have joined together to provide a tailor-made training programme that will be assessed to National Standards.”

Marie-Thérèse McGivern, principal and chief executive at Belfast Metropolitan College, added: “We are delighted with the partnership that has been established with Scottish Bakers. This means we can deliver all of the required learning on-site which forms an essential element of our employer engagement strategy.”

Alan Clarke, chief executive of Scottish Bakers, who is originally from Northern Ireland, said he was delighted by the introduction of the training partnership.

“We are a trade association in Scotland, but provide bakery and food manufacture work-based learning across the UK,” he said.

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