The event, that recognised everyone from butchers and bakers to
drivers and trainee store operators, saw 200 Foodstuffs employees
cross the stage to pick up an array of awards, scholarships and
certificates.
In its 62nd year, the Foodstuffs Training Awards
honour those who have excelled during the course of their training
and development programmes.
"Our annual training awards are for each recipient the
recognition of their achievement and it is their personal time to
celebrate," says Foodstuffs Auckland managing director Tony
Carter.
"We have very talented people at Foodstuffs - the backbone of
our organisation is our people. The past 12 months have been tough,
but the talent we have within the organisation has helped us stand
tall and strong throughout."
In addition to the usual awards categories such as Checker of
the Year, warehouse staff recognitions, formal management and
leadership awards, Foodstuffs Auckland this year introduced a
number of new training and development categories including the
route and retail driver challenge.
Checker of the Year
"Every dollar that comes into Foodstuffs Auckland retail stores
arrives over the check-out. As the face of the organisation,
check-out operators are hugely important to the Foodstuffs
business," said Mr Carter.
"Their hard work, dedication and excellent relationships with
customers contribute to the overall success of Foodstuffs."
More than one thousand participants, across seven regional
Checker of the Year heats in September and October, were whittled
down 14 top checkout operator contestants, and competed in the
grand final at the Foodstuffs Auckland Training Awards event.
Both winner and runner up received substantial prize packages
consisting of a laptop, printer, Microsoft Office package, DVD
recorder / player, along with a notebook / web browser, Microsoft
Package, digital camera, and portable DVD player. The winner also
received $1,000 cash, with the runner up receiving $750.
- Foodstuffs Auckland Checker of the Year
2009: Jamie Lee Payne, New World Mt Maunganui.
- Runner up: Nick Aguire, PAK'nSAVE Glen
Innes.
Route and retail driver challenge
Approximately 140 drivers across the Foodstuffs Auckland
organisation ensure that New World, PAK'nSAVE, Four Square and
Gilmour's customers delivering goods while safely negotiating the
busy roads. The driver challenge included a practical driving
assessment, on-road test, pre-drive, road-code, log book and truck
loading assessments, culminating in drivers completing practical
and obstacle course negotiation.
- Driver of the year winner: Brent Kiff,
Rotorua Distribution Centre.
- Runner up: Jonathon Falanitule, Gilmours
Mt Roskill.
Bakery apprenticeships
Six years ago Foodstuffs Auckland had four bakery apprentice
graduates. Since then Foodstuffs has introduced the level three
food production, and the level three bread qualification for the
new scratch bakery format while continuing with the full level four
apprenticeship scheme.
"Foodstuffs owes a great deal to store owners for their support
and investment in their bakery staff," said Mr Carter. "This year
more than 20 qualified bakers completed their apprenticeship
programmes."
- Bakery apprentice of the year: Jessica
Munday, New World Tokoroa.
Butchery apprenticeships
Butchery training at Foodstuffs has come a long way since the
first eight Foodstuffs apprentices graduated from the new NZQA
aligned Foodstuffs butchery apprenticeship scheme in 2001.
Over the last nine years Foodstuffs has averaged 19 graduates per
year, and now there are more than 90 butchery apprentices across
member stores in Foodstuffs Auckland, 17 of who graduated at the
recent training awards.
"Together with our sister cooperatives Foodstuffs
Wellington and Foodstuffs South Island, the Foodstuffs group and
our provider Skills4work collectively run the largest meat school
in the country," added Mr Carter.
- Butchery graduate of the year: Gareth
Hunt, New World Whitianga.
Management development graduates
Since its inception in the late 1970s, management development
has evolved with the business and continues to provide the building
block for all Foodstuffs' employees to rise through the ranks into
positions such as supervisor, department management, manager within
Foodstuffs Auckland, and potentially store ownership.
Many past and current graduates have progressed to owning Four
Square stores, and 35 of Foodstuffs Auckland's 70 New World and
PAK'nSAVE businesses are owned by graduates of this three year
programme.
There were 54 management development trainees who graduated at
the 2009 training awards.
Trainee operator graduates
To wrap up the evening, Foodstuffs Auckland presented an award
and scholarships to three graduates of the trainee operator
programme - a formal programme of skill and leadership development
to best position candidates to own their first New World.
- Trainee operator award: Kym Samuels, New
World Papakura.
- Trainee operator scholarships: Jimmy
Heal, New World Opotiki and Todd Leathem, New World, Green
Bay.