KFC celebrates 600 apprentices since 2012 this National Apprenticeship Week
Today at the beginning of 2017’s National Apprenticeship Week, KFC is proud to celebrate that 600 of its team members have graduated from its Apprenticeship programme. This week, KFC will be live at the Birmingham International Convention Centre offering potential future apprentices the chance to win a day working with KFC’s Product Development Team at KFC’s HQ by designing their own ‘Apprentice burger’.
The free Apprenticeship scheme has been operating since 2011 and has seen team members aged between 16-65 graduate from it. KFC’s commitment to developing its people has seen it invest over £3.5 million into apprenticeships over the past six years. Apprenticeships at KFC enable students to learn on the job, gaining hands on experience, while also earning money as team members.
KFC is constantly striving to improve the programme and this year is launching two new programmes, the Foundation Degree Apprenticeship and the Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship in Business Management, both in partnership with De Montfort University Leicester.
Ed Evans, Head of Education and Recruitment for KFC UK & Ireland said:
“We’re really proud of our apprentices and the programme. As a forward thinking business, we always look to nurture the potential of our team members, and our apprenticeship programmes allow us to do that. It’s not only a great opportunity for our people but for the business as a whole, as we continue to grow”.
KFC Assistant Restaurant General Manager Shaun Dickinson, who is a graduate of the Apprentice programme said: “The apprenticeship has been an amazing opportunity and fantastic for my career. Not only has it given me a second chance at further education, but it’s also given me the confidence to go after my career ambitions with the knowledge that I am capable of achieving.”
KFC has a strong history of pioneering new ways to develop its people; In September 2016, KFC was amongst one of the first businesses to offer the new Degree Apprenticeship in partnership with De Montfort University Leicester. The scheme announced by the government to bring together higher and vocational education at no cost to the student.
In 2013, KFC became the first restaurant company in the UK to launch an honours degree with De Montfort University Leicester. The degree course is open to assistant managers and above, and sees KFC pay for half of course fees, with the other half coming out of monthly salaries. Graduates of the degree programme have carved out successful career paths at KFC, many of which have gone on to work in head office functions or senior management roles.
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Notes to Editors:
KFC’s Education Platforms:
· Level 2 Apprenticeship is equivalent to 5 GCSEs and open to KFC team members.
· Level 3 Apprenticeship is equivalent to 2 A Levels and open to those training to become a KFC team leader.
· The new Degree Apprenticeship programme offers a full BA (Hons) Degree after four years study. It’s open to all KFC employees between 16-19 years old, who have a minimum of 5 A*-C GCSEs.
· The Degree Programme is a full three-year degree course that is open to management level KFC employees.
KFC will be at the National Apprenticeship Event at the ICC in Birmingham on Wednesday 8th March.
For further information, please contact the KFC press office: 020 3003 6373 or on [email protected]
About KFC:
In the UK, KFC currently employs over 24,000 people and operates approximately 900 restaurants.
KFC, the world’s largest chain of chicken-based quick service restaurants, grew from the chicken business set up by Colonel Harland D Sanders in the 1950s. The Colonel had found a way to combine 11 herbs and spices with flour to create a unique taste, and to this day the secret recipe is only known to a handful of people. It is locked away in a vault in Louisville, Kentucky.
KFC came to Britain in May 1965, with the first restaurant opening in Preston, Lancashire. Upon opening, it became the first overseas KFC branch, and was the first American quick service restaurant chain in the country.
KFC has made considerable nutritional improvements in the last few years, cutting salt by as much as 50% and switching cooking oils to cut saturated fat levels in Original Recipe Chicken by up to 25%. KFC has also expanded its range to include lighter options, such as Riceboxes, which have around 500 calories.
KFC has been recognised as a Great Place to Work for the last 8 years and won Britain’s Top Employer in 2012, 2013 and 2014, the first business to achieve this accolade.
KFC is also committed to tackling food waste and is rolling out its Food Donation Scheme across all of its UK restaurants. The company also works to help the global community, and has raised over £4m for the United Nations World Food Programme in the last six years.
In 2015, KFC introduced the Colonel’s Club, a loyalty scheme also available as an app, to give back to loyal fans. The Club allows members to earn Chicken Stamps each time they come to KFC, which are then redeemable against KFC items.
KFC UK, Inc. is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM), which also owns the Pizza Hut and Taco Bell restaurants. For further information, please visit www.kfc.co.uk.
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