A training programme in which more than 1,000 young Irish managers studied languages and worked in other EU states is to be extended to the US and Asia.

Organised by the Irish Business and Employers' Confederation (IBEC), the first of the new programmes is expected to be introduced early in 2001.

And IBEC is pushing also for the establishment of an MBA in food marketing, which has not been available so far in this State.

Mr Ciaran Fitzgerald, director of IBEC's Food and Drink Federation, says that if the food industry wants to retain good managers executive training must be provided.

"This programme addresses the need for the food industry to offer something like the IT or pharmaceutical sectors, which have sophisticated management training options. It's the work placement which has been of such benefit," he says.

He says the US programme has been submitted to Enterprise Ireland for its approval and should be in place shortly. Up to 20 junior or marketing managers will be able to work in the US for a year.

"Based on the European model, they would have some dedicated executive training in food marketing and a placement in a company identified by their own company or a US customer we think might be interested in getting people over from here. US industry is interested in recruiting Irish people."

One of his plans for 2001 is to develop a streamlined MBA in food marketing, along the lines of similar courses in US universities.