Welsh Government Flexible Skills Programme - An Opportunity for Food & Drink Employers in Wales

The Welsh Government’s Flexible Skills Programme (FSP) provides funding to support employers in Wales to upskill and reskill their workforce in priority skill areas.

The programme offers up to 50% match funding towards the cost of eligible training for employees based in Wales. It is open to employers of all sizes and across all sectors, including food and drink manufacturing and processing.

Full programme details, eligibility criteria and application guidance are available via Business Wales:
https://businesswales.gov.wales/topics-and-guidance/employing-people-and-improving-skills/recruit-and-train/flexible-skills-programme

What the Flexible Skills Programme supports

The programme is designed to support training that strengthens business capability and performance. Relevant areas for food and drink employers may include:

• Leadership and management development
• Continuous improvement and operational effectiveness
• Problem solving and quality tools
• Process efficiency, waste reduction and productivity improvement
• Health, safety and compliance-related training

Training must be accredited or delivered to an industry-recognised standard and completed by the end of the funding period which currently ends on 31^st March 2026.

Why this matters for food & drink businesses

Food and drink manufacturers are operating in an increasingly challenging environment, with pressures on cost, productivity, workforce capability and resilience.

The Flexible Skills Programme provides a practical opportunity to:

• invest in skills that directly support operational performance
• strengthen leadership and supervisory capability
• build confidence in continuous improvement and problem-solving approaches
• do so in a more cost-effective way by offsetting training investment

Choosing the right training support

Employers are free to choose any suitable training provider, provided the training meets the programme criteria.

Members may wish to work with providers who:

• understand the realities of food and drink manufacturing
• have experience delivering practical, workplace-focused training
• can support areas such as continuous improvement, Lean, leadership and operational excellence

For example, as a member of the National Skills Academy for Food & Drink, CQM Training & Consultancy works with food and drink manufacturers across the UK to support capability development in areas such as Lean and Continuous Improvement, leadership development, advanced problem-solving and food safety & compliance. 

Employers may wish to explore whether such programmes align with their needs and the Flexible Skills Programme criteria.

Next steps for employers

• Review the Business Wales guidance to confirm eligibility
• Consider which skill areas would add the most value to your business
• Engage with an appropriate training provider to discuss options
• Submit a short application via the Flexible Skills Programme process