Minister launches new funding package at Kirkintilloch High

He confirmed the funding during a visit to Kirkintilloch High School, at the start of Scottish Food and Drink Fortnight.

The funding will allow Food and Drink Federation Scotland to extend their ‘A Future in Food’ programme, which raises awareness about the wide variety of food and drink careers among pupils, teachers and parents, to 2020.

He said: “Scotland’s food and drink industry is a vital part of our economy - it is going from strength to strength and has ambitious growth targets for the future.

“Skills and training is a key pillar of Ambition 2030, with 27,000 job openings predicted in the sector over the next 10 years.

“I want to make sure that our labour market is in a position to support this projected growth and supply the next generation of professionals for the industry.

“This programme will help teachers, pupils and parents better understand the food and drink industry in Scotland by highlighting the wide variety of careers on offer along with the progression routes and pathways to access them.”

CEO of Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Scotland David Thomson said: “We welcome the continued long-term support from Scottish Government.

“Scotland’s food and drink industry is a great place to be. To ensure future success we need to encourage students to start and further their careers in the sector.

“This programme provides an opportunity for many young people to have a taste of a future career in food and drink.”