Our Technical Academy is a City & Guilds, LCL and ilm approved centre. Our in-house training programme captures enthusiastic, motivated people, usually with no engineering knowledge and sees them through from trainee status to a fully qualified engineer.


During the Technical Academy, our trainees have a dedicated experienced coach who will provide them with the people, technical and commercial skills to successfully develop a long career with MCFT.

What to expect.

Here from our Refrigeration Training Lead, Colin Tomlinson on what to expect when joining the MCFT Technical Academy.

Our History.

2005

Training journey begins as Stu Ford starts at MCFT as our first trainee now Field Catering Lead.

2016

Our first group of trainees, begin their training from our new training hub, launched at Ascot Racecourse.

2017

Recieve City & Guilds Assured certification and Princess Royal Award for Refrigeration & Catering Trainee Programmes

2022

Training facility registered as an Apprenticeship Provider by RoTP (Register of apprenticeship training providers)

2023

Our first cohort of trainees begin at our newly established bespoke dedicated Technical Training Facility at Theale, Berkshire.

2024

Official opening of Theale Training Facility by Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire - Andrew Try. Facility recieves City & Guilds Approval for Refrigeration and LCL Approval as a Gas Centre.

2025

MCFT move to Bennet Road Training Facility, the only Employer-Provider Facility in England for Commercial Catering & Refrigeration. Our first cohort of traineess begin through National Apprenticeship Programmes.

2005

Training journey begins as Stu Ford starts at MCFT as our first trainee now Field Catering Lead.

2016

Our first group of trainees, begin their training from our new training hub, launched at Ascot Racecourse.

Bennet Road

In 2025 we moved from our training facilities in Theale, to our new larger training facility on Bennet Road, Reading. Our new dedicated two-floor premises comprises multiple practical refrigeration and catering classroom spaces, classrooms for desk-based training, exam rooms, office space and storage rooms.


These learning spaces give our trainees the opportunity to learn on and experience real equipment, kindly donated by our partners. Our facility will enable trainee technicians to understand the demands of the industry and experience immersive real-world situations preparing them for the challenges they will face in the field.


Click on the floorplan below to view our teaching and learning spaces.