Improve, the government-funded skills sector agency for the food and drink industry, said this month that stage five of the Sector Skills Action plan (SSA) had been submitted to an umbrella agency for approval.

The plan is geared toward helping the food manufacturing sector find and train employees. The plan sets out what needs to be done to alleviate skill shortages in a changing industry in order to improve competitiveness and productivity.

The agency expects feedback from its parent within the next few weeks. Once approved stage five marks the final section of two years of work on the training and skills improvement programme.

Stages four and five of the SSA encapsulates agreements between food and drink employers, stakeholders and other partners in what actions are to be taken, individually and jointly, to address the skills gaps.

A skills needs assessment formed the first stage and provides an analysis of the current and future skill needs for the food and drink industry. It is made up of three reports.

Stage two of the SSA focuses on assessing current training programmes meant to supply the food and drink manufacturing sector with skilled workers.

The third stage analysed the gaps and weaknesses in current workforce. Stage four examined the scope for collaborative action by employers. Stage five marked the development of a costed action plan with key delivery partners.

The UK's food and drink industry has one of the most poorly qualified workforces in the UK, according to Improve. About 19 per cent of the sectors workforce has no qualifications, compared to the average of 11 per cent for the total UK workforce. One third of staff in the processing sector have no qualifications at all.

The increasing automation across the industry means different skills are required from the workforce. With production lines becoming morecomplex and demanding the shortage of skilled workers in the UK industry is acute.

Improve's forecasting showed that the food and drink industry needs to recruit 118,000 more employees to fill current job roles opened by the existing workforce retirement or migration to other industries.

In addition there is a significant under-representation of females to males. Males make up two-thirds of the sector's workforce compared to the national average where males make up a little over a half of the entire UK workforce.

Last year Improve created created an accredited system to help employers check the qualifications of potential employees. The "Green Card" system provides employees with a record of the accredited training they have taken in the industry.

The UK'S food and drink manufacturing sector employs somewhere between 500,000 and 900,000 staff, or about 1.6 per cent f the total UK workforce.

Improve was established in July 2004 by the Skills for Business Network and is sponsored by the UK's department for learning and skills.