CENTRES of excellence for food and drink manufacturers could be set up in Yorkshire as part of a new national academy.

Improve, the York-based food and drink sector skills council for the UK, has submitted a bid for government approval for a multi-million National Skills Academy.

The academy will comprise centres of excellence in all parts of the UK, to meet a mixture of local and countrywide needs.

A green light for the scheme would be a major boost for skills and job prospects in Yorkshire and Humberside, which is the UK's biggest region for food and drink manufacturing.

It has 1,100 companies working in the sector, turning over £7.3 billion, and employing 60,000 people.

The centres of excellence could be university or college departments, or private training organisations, or even the training centres of manufacturers themselves.

They will have to meet exacting standards as leaders in their field, and must be prepared to welcome increased employer involvement in return for access to a greater market for skills.

Some will offer a broad range of training opportunities and others will specialise in industry sub-sectors such as dairy, meat and poultry, seafood, bakery, brewing and distilling, confectionery, milling and cereals, and soft drinks.

They will make up the first national academy of learning dedicated to the food and drink sector. The academy aims to be one of the first four sector-specific skills academies to be set up.

Updated: 10:17 Thursday, September 22, 2005