Tulip has been operating from its Coalville site since 1930 and the investment will offer local apprenticeship programmes for the area.
The funding will support one team leader apprenticeship role for local hygiene company Scaan, who are currently part of the Tulip supply chain, helping to upskill employees and offer management qualifications.
A further two Level Five apprenticeships will also be funded for MRC Community Action, a registered charity based at the Marlene Reid Centre in Coalville. MRC works in partnership with the local community, offering on-the-job placements for people on training schemes.
First implemented in 2017, the Apprenticeship Levy is a tax on employers with an annual pay bill of more than £3m which can be used to fund apprenticeship training.
Tulip Ltd vice president of human resources Rachel Baldwin explained the investment. “We’re really proud to be able to support the local Coalville community, offering additional apprenticeship options and contributing to the skills-pool of the area,” she said. “Working closely with the local communities we are located in is really important to Tulip and will support the business in the long term.
“We would encourage all businesses to make the most of the levy funds in order to bring a new generation of talent into the food industry. This funding will be the first of many local projects across the UK, including apprenticeships for our agricultural partners.”
Scaan operations director Mike Fox said: “We are always looking to develop good employees. This opportunity will be a huge advantage to a member of our team in her career progression, while both Scaan and Tulip will also benefit by having a skilled person in a key position.”
MRC Community Action deputy manager Paul Fagan added: “As in all organisations, people are the most important asset. The training that Tulip is supporting our organisation with will enable us to invest in our staff for the future and will in turn benefit our service users. The level of training being undertaken would not have been possible for us without the support from our friends at Tulip.”