Increase productivity and boost profits
Let’s get going, the NSAFD is your industry go to for staff skills that improve efficiencies. We’re the food & drink industry’s dedicated, not-for-profit, skills specialist. We’re led by the industry, built around your needs and totally dedicated to your success.
We’re all about your skills
As industry-led experts on skills, we act as an influential advocate to administrations of all UK nations on relevant skills policy.
A chance for change
2024 request for a skills system reset to power jobs and growth in Food & Drink Manufacturing in England.
Events Calendar
23/01
Apprenticeship Strategy
23rd January 2025
Teams call
04/02
Meet our newest Industry Approved Provider – Complete Lean Solutions
4th February 2025 at 11am
Provider Spotlight
They are industry approved for the following standards: Lean Manufacturing Operative, Improvement Practitioner, Improvement Technician, Improvement Leader, Improvement Specialist
11/02
Tasty Careers Ambassador Training
11 - 12th February 2025
York
12/02
Safeguarding Apprentices Webinar
12th February 2025 at 2pm - 3.30pm
Webinar
20/02
Apprenticeship Strategy
20th February 2025
Teams call
19/03
Tasty Careers Ambassador Training (Wales)
19th - 20th March 2025
Cardiff
More dates coming soon
Food & Drink Careers Passport
The Food & Drink Careers Passport ®, exclusively available via the National Skills Academy for Food & Drink is a passport to all the essential knowledge needed for working in UK Food & Drink Manufacturing industry.
Developed in partnership with major food & drink manufacturing businesses, the new Food & Drink Careers Passport from the National Skills Academy for Food & Drink is the complete package. It’s based around accessible online learning of all the core areas applicants need to work in the industry.
Course content leading to the Passport has been specially selected and written by subject matter experts from the Food Manufacturing Industry. Already widely-used across the sector, the NSAFD’s official Food & Drink Passport courses are updated annually by industry representatives to ensure they are always fully in line with industry knowledge needs.
Once completed, qualifications are registered on the national Passport database hosted by the NSAFD – giving everyone full transparency and speeding up the entire compliance and induction process.
Get FREE Food Safety learning for ALL staff
Every single one of your people is entitled to FREE online Level 2 Food Safety, HACCP Level 2 or Health & Safety Level 2 courses when your business become a Member of the National Skills Academy for Food & Drink’s Employer Services Network.
Members also benefit from an across-the-board discount of 20% on best available e-learning via our dedicated Online Academy – key learning totally devoted to food and drink and all in one place.
Membership gives you multiple advantages. Find out more today.
Take the hassle out of Apprenticeships
Whatever size your business, we're your go-to for food & drink Apprenticeship information and support.
Easily assess the initial skills and knowledge of staff embarking on an apprenticeship, track progress and keep learning evidence handy with our Occupational Assessment Tool specially designed to keep everything you need to comply with funding rules at your fingertips.
For small businesses, our Apprenticeship Toolkit has all the information and advice you need to get up to speed.
Tasty Careers
Tasty Careers is designed as a game changer – bringing together industry career information and live industry vacancies all in one place and making them instantly accessible to the smartphone generation.
Download Our FREE Skills Insights & Labour Market Report
One of the most significant challenges within the FDMP sector is lack of labour, with widespread reports of unfilled vacancies and rising wages. This report reviews the key influences and highlights the skills required to enable the industry to continue to thrive.
Download our report today.
Skills Insights & Labour Market Report
Latest News
Business involvement vital for review of Food and Drink National Occupational Standards
The National Skills Academy for Food & Drink (NSAFD) is currently reviewing the following suites of National Occupational Standards (NOS) and want businesses from across the industry to get involved: Meat and Poultry (74) Fish and Shellfish (30) Support Operations...
School pupils’ culinary inventions win the Tasty Careers Schools Challenge
Pupils from English Martyrs’ School in Leicester have been taking part in the Tasty Careers Schools Challenge, a competition that challenges pupils to design food products that are healthy, sustainable, and commercially viable. The Tasty Careers Schools Challenge is a...
The Worker Protection Act: What Food & Drink Employers Need to Know and How NSAFD Can Help
The Worker Protection Act 2023, which amends the Equality Act 2010, came into force on 26 October 2024, setting new standards for addressing sexual harassment in the workplace. With the food and drink industry involving a high level of interaction with the public,...