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Making sure food and drink products are of the right quality and safe to eat and drink.
This occupation is found in a wide range of settings across the food and drink manufacturing industry. The role could typically be carried out in a factory or product development environment. Food Industry Technologists may be employed in a large or small food manufacturer, or in a wider supply chain, such as producers or retailers. Food Industry Technologists may be employed within a food quality specialist or product development role.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to ensure the smooth transition of food and drink products from concept to consumption. Food Industry Technologists are the guardians of food quality and safety and ensure that products are of the highest standard, meet legislation and are safe to eat and drink. They maintain documentation in line with product specifications and company policies. They ensure that technical and quality standards are consistently met whilst optimising efficiency to meet business needs. They may improve existing products as well as launch new ones whilst ensuring product safety and quality. They are subject matter experts in their field and are likely to work with teams to develop effective manufacturing processes ensuring that technical and quality standards are consistently met. A Food Quality Specialist monitors the quality of the food and drink product. A Food Development Specialist contributes to the development of new and existing food products.
In their daily work, an employee is likely to report to a technical professional from the food industry. They interact with a range of internal stakeholders, including teams in production, commercial, supply chain, engineering, finance, and health, safety and environment. They may also deal with external stakeholders such as auditors, suppliers and customers.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for ensuring that food products are safe to consume and of a consistent appearance, taste and texture to comply with company, customer and industry standards. They initiate and complete tasks following standard processes and proactively resolve technical problems within their levels of responsibility. Using insight from a variety of sources including data analysis and observations, they make recommendations and support the implementation of improved ways of working.
This is a summary of the key things that you – the apprentice and your employer need to know about your end-point assessment (EPA). You and your employer should read the EPA plan for the full details. It has information on assessment method requirements, roles and responsibilities, and re-sits and re-takes.
An EPA is an assessment at the end of your apprenticeship. It will assess you against the knowledge, skills, and behaviours (KSBs) in the occupational standard. Your training will cover the KSBs. The EPA is your opportunity to show an independent assessor how well you can carry out the occupation you have been trained for.
Your employer will choose an end-point assessment organisation (EPAO) to deliver the EPA. Your employer and training provider should tell you what to expect and how to prepare for your EPA.
The length of the training for this apprenticeship is typically 24 months. The EPA period is typically 4 months.
The overall grades available for this apprenticeship are:
When you pass the EPA, you will be awarded your apprenticeship certificate.
The EPA gateway is when the EPAO checks and confirms that you have met any requirements required before you start the EPA. You will only enter the gateway when your employer says you are ready.
The gateway requirements for your EPA are:
Short written test
You will complete a test requiring short written answers. It will be closed book, meaning you will not have access to any books or reference materials.
The test paper will be worth 60 marks in total. It will have at least 2 short answer written questions worth 6 marks for each theme (48 marks). The remaining questions will be distributed appropriately (12 marks) (see mapping of KSBs to themes) . You will have 90 minutes to complete it.
Professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio of evidence
You will have a professional discussion with an independent assessor. It will last 60 minutes. They will ask you at least 10 questions. The questions will be about certain aspects of your occupation. You need to compile a portfolio of evidence before the EPA gateway. You can use it to help answer the questions.
Project with report
You will complete a project and write a report. You will be asked to complete a project. The title and scope must be agreed with the EPAO at the gateway. The report should be a maximum of 3000 words (with a 10% tolerance).
You will have 12 weeks to complete the project and submit the report to the EPAO.
You need to prepare and give a presentation to an independent assessor. Your presentation slides and any supporting materials should be submitted at the same time as the project output. The presentation with questions will last at least 30 minutes. The independent assessor will ask at least 5 questions about the project and presentation.
The EPAO will confirm where and when each assessment method will take place.
You should speak to your employer if you have a query that relates to your job.
You should speak to your training provider if you have any questions about your training or EPA before it starts.
You should receive detailed information and support from the EPAO before the EPA starts. You should speak to them if you have any questions about your EPA once it has started.
If you have a disability, a physical or mental health condition or other special considerations, you may be able to have a reasonable adjustment that takes this into account. You should speak to your employer, training provider and EPAO and ask them what support you can get. The EPAO will decide if an adjustment is appropriate.
This apprenticeship aligns with Science Council for The Science Council for Registered Science Technician (RSciTech). Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship and upon receipt of the apprenticeship certificate, individuals are eligible to apply for RSciTech through a shortened application route. Individuals also need to be a member of a professional body that is licensed by the Science Council to be awarded this status. Further information is on the Science Council’s website.
Please contact the professional body for more details.
| Version | Change detail | Earliest start date | Latest start date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | End-point assessment plan, funding and standard revised. | 01/05/2024 | Not set |
| 1.0 | Approved for delivery | 25/08/2016 | 30/04/2024 |
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