RFA delivers Morrisons training

Posted 5 September 2011

A leading supermarket has been training its future managers in food technology by spending a week at the Regional Food Academy at Harper Adams University College.

Students from the Morrisons BSc degree course in Business and Management learnt about the food supply chain and quality, safety issues, and food preservation.

As part of the module they also engaged in practical activities such as sausage design and manufacture, baked goods production, fresh produce quality assessment and sensory evaluation.

The week’s activities plus a work-based assessment translate to a full module in the first year of study, with a follow up scheduled for the second year.  Together, the two modules provide 20 credits towards the degree, with the remainder delivered and accredited by Bradford University School of Management.

Ralph Early, Head of the Department of Food Science and Supply Chain Management at Harper Adams, said: “It takes students five days classroom teaching and practicals plus independent study and work-based assignments to complete the module, which equates to the time spent studying a module over a term as part of a full time university course.

“The students are assessed on their knowledge via coursework and what they have learnt during the module can be applied in the workplace.

“As a food technology centre within Harper Adams, the Regional Food Academy is ideally placed to deliver this education as we have both the food science expertise and the food technology facilities required to help educate Morrisons’ future leaders and managers.”
 
The corporate degree is offered to undergraduates in combination with a salaried job, with no fees to pay.

It provides candidates with a debt-free university education whilst working in a fast-paced business and a guaranteed career on graduation.

Martyn Fletcher, Morrisons Group Manufacturing Director, said: "The aim of the programme is to develop our leaders of the future, giving students the hands on experience of a manufacturing environment and the academic knowledge through their degree.

“The Harper Adams Regional Food Academy was an obvious choice for the degree's food modules as its one of the UK's leading academies and complements the overall programme at Bradford University School of Management."

The degree is delivered over a three year period with applicants requiring a minimum of a B and two C grades at A Level.

For more information, visit http://www.brad.ac.uk/management/programmes/undergraduate/ugmorrisons/