New starter skills course

New-starter-course

At a glance

This online course combines industry knowledge and personal skills to give you the best start to your career in the food and grocery industry.

Duration:
8 hours

Format: Online, plus webinar

Cost: Free

IGD certificate awarded

 

What you will learn

 

The experience

Over 8 weeks we’ll cover a broad range of topics that will:

Grow your confidence by exploring the most important industry topics and trends

Broaden your understanding by helping you see things from the shopper perspective

Enable you to see how different areas of food and grocery businesses work together

Give you practical, relevant tips and tools that will help you grow your impact and boost your relationships at work

 

Giving you flexibility

The course is hosted on our learning platform, LearnUpon and you can access the resources anytime between the course start and end dates, meaning you can work through the course at a pace that suits you and your work schedule.

 

Join live webinars to help you connect with people from the industry

 
"I appreciate the course's use of interviews with industry experts and managers... Personally, I find this approach is what sets this course apart from other training courses."
"It gave me an insight into other departments, making it easier to collaborate with them."
 

Celebrating success

Upon completing, you’ll receive an IGD certificate, helping you to celebrate and share your achievement. There are no exams or submissions required to pass the course.

 

Is this course right for me?

Yes, if any of the following apply to you:

You are starting your career in the food and grocery industry.

You are returning to the industry after a time away and are looking for a refresher.

You know the industry but are changing roles so could benefit from seeing it through fresh eyes.

 

Does it matter what area of the business I work in?

No, this course is designed to be a broad introduction, so it is relevant to those working in any function within the food system. Thousands of people from across the food and grocery industry supply chain have completed this course already.

 

Does the course cover my area of expertise?

Taking part in this course will help you expand your awareness and knowledge on a range of topics, rather than developing specific functional or technical expertise. You can find more information on our other courses, workshops and mentoring here.

 

Will I have enough time to complete it?

We’ve designed this course to be flexible enough to meet the demands of busy people in our industry. You can work through the modules at your own pace across the 8 weeks, and it should take around 8 hours to complete. That’s around an hour of learning per week, which we have found is manageable for most people. It also helps if you can make your line manager aware that you are taking part.

 
88% said they plan to implement something they've learnt
95% said it broadened their perspective and challenged their thinking
 

The detail

We update our courses regularly to ensure we have the most relevant and up-to-date topics, so the below is a guide on the key focus areas based on our 2024 course:

 
The big picture: Understand trends and shopper mindset

Discover key trends influencing the industry outlook in the short and longer term

Think like a shopper and explore what’s front of mind now and in the future

Get more familiar with the different aspects of sustainability and resilience

Industry knowledge: Navigate the world of FMCG businesses

Learn about different retail channels and our expert predictions for the future

See how stores are evolving to meet changing shopper needs

Explore different areas working inside the industry, such as commercial, technical, and supply chain

Personal skills: Build confidence and great relationships at work

Identify the aspects that make up your best self at work

Learn how to build self confidence and convey it through great impressions

Explore how building trust and being part of a strong team can help increase your impact

Get guidance on how to create an action plan that will help you continue your development

How has this course helped others?

I have learnt more about the industry, roles, trends, challenges and channels. The course has also encouraged me to generate ideas and build on techniques that I can implement in my role.

Having been through the roles in FMCG has allowed me to understand the different parts of our organisation. This will support me personally when engaging and getting involved with projects with my colleagues.

I have knowledge on how to stand out in a positive way and how to be confident by being proactive and engaging in conversations.

What happens next?

After signing up we will keep you updated via email with information about how to access the course. These emails will include your log in details for our learning platform (LearnUpon) a week before the course start date.

New Starter Skills course 2025