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Explained: Food Processing Skills Canada

By Community Manager posted 06-13-2024 08:09

Editor's Note: This article was originally published 09-05-2023

What It Is

Food Processing Skills Canada (FPSC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to professionalizing the food and beverage manufacturing industry by providing leadership on labour, skills and workforce development. FPSC has developed a national skills strategy based on long-term approaches used in other professional sectors that builds on collaborations with industry, government, academia, unions, associations, community organizations and other stakeholders.

What it Does

FPSC is helping the food and beverage industry to remain competitive through:

Research into the labour market to define the needs of the industry;
Setting competencies by defining the skills needed by the industry;

Training to increase the pool of workers with relevant skills;
Accredited courses to increase relevant training for the industry; and
Certifying professionals to increase long-term commitment to a career in food processing.

The organization offers numerous resources to support talent attraction and retention, skills training, and education to career pathways. That includes events, a Succeeding at Work program that trains job seekers and matches them with employers, and the Food Skills Library. The library lists areas of work in the food manufacturing industry, job descriptions and competencies, national occupational standards, skills manuals and essential skills for different jobs, courses, certifications, assessments, and career ladders in different sectors.

FPSC also operates the Canadian Food Processors Institute. Designed for food professionals, food and beverage companies, and newcomers to the industry, the Institute offers resources such as e-learning courses and good manufacturing practices.

Why You Should Care

According to FPSC, the food and beverage manufacturing industry will require 65,000 more employees by 2025 in order to meet consumer demands. At the same time, the vacancy rate in the industry is approximately 3.8% higher than the overall manufacturing sector’s 3% vacancy rate, and one-fifth of that workforce is aged between 55 and 64, meaning that many of these employees will be eligible to retire within the next decade.

What Else you Need to Know

The organization collaborates with provincial and national food industry associations; post-secondary institutions; and community, immigration and food industry leaders. Employers and food and beverage manufacturing professionals can also participate in the Rapid Results Panel. The panel gathers real-time labour market information, while offering participants early access to surveys and reports, as well as access to the HR Ready Portal featuring learning tools and resources.