Shrewsbury College secures apprenticeship partnership with Muller

Dairy giant Muller has teamed up with a Shropshire college group to deliver its engineering apprenticeship programme.

The Germany company, which has a major factory operation in Market Drayton, has partnered with Shrewsbury College to deliver the programmes across its operations in the county.

The college said the agreement represented a significant step in enhancing the region's technical training capacity and highlighted its growing reputation as a specialist provider for the food and drink sector.

The college has introduced this new apprenticeship programme specifically to assist employers across the wider Marches region, with a focus on a specialised food and drink engineering apprenticeship route.

The new programmes directly align with the priorities outlined in the Local Skills Improvement Plan, helping to address skills shortages and supporting the sector's long-term competitiveness.

Shrewsbury College, which has a trio of campuses in the county town, has also been formally approved by the National Skills Academy for Food and Drink as a specialist provider for this pathway.

This makes it just one of seven nationally approved training centres for this apprenticeship standard.

To support delivery, the college said it was investing in new specialised equipment and training resources to ensure apprentices benefitted from modern, industry‑standard facilities aimed at reflecting current food and drink engineering workplaces.

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James Staniforth, principal of Shrewsbury College, said: "We are very proud to collaborate with Muller on this vital skills initiative.

"As one of the region's leading employers, it plays a key role in supporting local economic growth and this partnership allows us to enhance the flow of engineering and technical talent essential to the food manufacturing sector.

"This represents a significant step forward for both the college and the Marches region."

Muller said in a statement: "We're pleased to collaborate with Shrewsbury College to support colleagues' development across our organisation.

"Apprenticeships are vital in shaping our future workforce, enhancing skills and providing clear routes for progression. This partnership will help us continue to build the capabilities needed for the future."

Louise Cairns, from trade body the National Skills Academy for Food & Drink, added: "We are delighted to welcome Shrewsbury College into the industry approved network and look forward to supporting them on their journey with this critical programme for our sector."