Careers In Food | Issue One by Food Matters Live

TABLE OF CONTENTS Sustainable food and drink careers: being part of a positive, fairer change in the industry

Waste not, want not: how students can reduce food waste and help fight climate change

Choosing a course for a career in food

EMPLOYERS

Cook up a career at Compass

Redefining recruitment: how The Advocate Group is changing the game

Budweiser searching for sparkling talent among UK apprentices

Graduate schemes in the food industry: JDE Peet’s, Diageo, and Kepak

Creating menus for Virgin Atlantic at 35,000 feet

COURSES

Your complete guide to food sustainability courses

The ultimate guide to food engineering courses for processing, manufacturing, chemistry and more

Nutrition courses in the UK – what’s available?

How you could help fix the global food system

JOBS & RECRUITMENT

APPRENTICESHIPS

What are apprenticeships?

A comprehensive guide to food apprenticeships: getting a head start in the industry whilst learning on the job

SOFT SKILLS

Job applications, CVs, cover letters and interviews: how to land your first job in the food industry

The importance of soft skills in the workplace Essential soft skills for a career in food and drink

RESOURCES

Sustainable food and drink careers: being part of a positive, fairer change in the industry FI O N A H O L L A N D

It’s easier to find sustainable food and drink careers in the industry now than ever before. As the number of consumers looking to eat more sustainably day-to-day increases, food and drinks businesses cannot thrive without being able to show how they are working to reduce emissions and reach certain environmental targets. If you are looking to make a difference in the food system, you are in luck: there is a wide range of green roles in food and drink, and there doesn’t seem to be any sign of them decreasing anytime soon – if anything the opposite is true. As Geraldine Gilbert, Principal Sustainability Strategist for Food and Partnerships Lead at Forum for the Future explained at the Food Matters Live Inspiring Careers in Food event last February: “The ‘green’ area has evolved over the past 25 years, and the field of green jobs is changing because we’ve failed so far”. With development needing to happen faster than ever to tackle climate change, green jobs in the food sector are becoming critical across various areas.

What are some sustainable food and drink roles? You’ll find plenty of jobs in food companies where ‘sustainability’ is in the name, such as Sustainability Executive, Sustainable Sourcing Manager or even Sustainable Chef, but this doesn’t mean there aren’t other roles where you can make an impact. If your background is in dietetics, you could specialise in plant-based nutrition or with a background in design you could develop innovative plastic alternative food packaging. Another suitable role could include helping to manage the redistribution of supermarkets and restaurants’ surplus food and cut down waste. Managing and improving animal welfare in the farming industry also plays a vital role in making the agricultural sector more sustainable. Working as a campaign-coordinator would also enable you to get involved in initiatives that can influence change around factory farming - one of the major contributors to climate change. A sustainability career in food does not just mean working in a role that helps to directly reduce carbon emissions in the supply chain. It can also be a job that works to build food security and improve a country’s self-sufficiency. One such role could include researching underused indigenous ingredients and helping to promote their benefits or utilise them in new formulations. You could also be working in the food science field and improve public health.

Succeeding in a sustainable food career If you want to take on a position where you manage the sustainable practices of a company, having a knack for science or technology could be beneficial, Stefanie Sahmel, Sustainability Manager at Abel & Cole explained at Inspiring Careers in Food. “Being scientific and tech-focused helps as you need to be able to

communicate complex issues in ways stakeholders will understand,” she said, “being succinct and getting to the point also really helps.” Managing sustainability in a company can also require working with data collection, according to Cherry Dejos, Sustainability Manager at Pizza Express. “It’s a lot of number crunching. One practical example I can give is in past gas emissions. In reporting that annually you need to collect information on how many products you buy, how much your employees travelled.” The skills required for a job in food sustainability however very much depend on what area of the sector you wish to work for, Geraldine says. “You could be leading sustainability inside a business, but that might be a restaurant, the supermarket. You could be working with the NHS where you could be in food research. You can work on securing a sustainable future for food in all kinds of different ways.”

Why ‘green’ careers in food are important The reason there is such an abundance of sustainability roles in the industry is that they are essential to the future of food and drink. Working in this area means having direct impact. Everyone is impacted by food as we all need it to survive. The sector is responsible for nearly 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions, and in the UK alone, 35% of emissions are said to come from the food and drink we consume. Changes to the current food system are therefore essential if we want to continue to be able to eat nutritiously, and they can’t occur without the help of sustainable food roles, whether this be done through a job that helps to reduce our dependency on imported goods or finding new ways to get farmers to adopt more sustainable agricultural methods. Many positive changes are currently happening in the industry. As Geraldine explains: “With all those big challenges, it’s probably the most exciting time to work on the future of food.”

CAREERS IN FOOD GUIDE

WASTE NOT WANT NOT How students can reduce food waste and help fight climate change

BELL S HANN

Food waste is a large contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and plays a huge role in the climate change crisis. It is no secret that we need to make some changes. Some drastic changes. The Food Waste: The Student Perspective report found that people aged 18-34 waste more food than people within other age groups. This highlights the importance of tackling food waste amongst university students and coming together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Project Drawdown lists reducing food waste as one of the top ways we can slow down global warming. This involves many aspects of the food industry, from farming to processing, but also includes the food thrown away in households across the globe. Goal 12.3 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals aims to halve global food

waste by 2030. If you’re reading this and you throw away edible food, you can be part of the change. The brilliant thing about changing the way we use food and finding new, creative ways to avoid waste, is that every single person can play a part. Limiting food waste does mean using up your stock before it is past safe consumption and eating up leftovers when you make a little too much, but it also involves learning about what you can actually eat, especially when it’s a little less obvious. Take cauliflower, for example, did you know that you can eat the WHOLE of the cauliflower, leaves and all? Top tip: roast the leaves up with a little olive oil, salt and pepper for an easy, nutritious snack packed full of polyphenols. Thank you Tim Spector!

OLIO connects people with surplus food OLIO, a B Corp certified and carbon negative mobile app, encourages neighbours and communities to share surplus food (and other household items) to prevent it from going to landfill. It is a free, easily accessible way to play a part in tackling climate change and not only do you get to look after the planet, but you can also get some amazing freebies too. As well as being able to source food on the app, you can use it to share your own surplus. You never know how something small to you can mean so much to someone else. With the cost of living crisis on the rise, many people are hungry and rely on apps such as OLIO. Here are some of the facts they have shared:

Food waste in numbers Reducing food waste is the number one solution to fighting the climate crisis

An area larger than China is used to grow food that is never eaten

One-third of food produced globally feeds bins, not humans

Every single hungry person in the world (an estimated 1 billion people) could be fed on less than a quarter of the food that is wasted in the US, the U.K., and Europe alone

The annual value of food wasted globally is $1 trillion CAREERS IN FOOD GUIDE

The benefits of minimising food waste Money saving As a student, finances can be difficult to manage and it’s imperative to budget and prioritise where you spend your money. Avoiding food waste and getting the most out of what you buy is an easy way to save a little bit of money.The Student Perspective report found that the ‘average purchase cost of avoidable food waste per student’ is roughly £273.00 per year! Getting creative in the kitchen Did you know, the most commonly wasted foods are bread, milk, potatoes, cheese, apples, bagged salad, and fresh produce? These are common staples within households in the UK and instead of

throwing surplus away, you could make a brandnew dish instead! Think bread and butter pudding, potato soup (topped with croutons made with that last slice of bread you were going to throw away), apple pie…the ideas are endless! Improving your nutrition The most commonly wasted foods are packed full of healthy nutrients. Just like with the cauliflower leaves and adding polyphenols to your diet, you can consume extra vitamins and minerals by eating parts of food you never knew you could! But be sure to consume safely and if you’re not sure, look before you cook!

T H E M O S T C O M M O N LY WA S T E D F O O D S

BREAD

MILK

POTATOES

CHEESE

APPLES

FRESH PRODUCE

Your actions make a difference: take action! COOK IN BULK – This is a really simple but cost- and time-effective way of cooking. You could share meals and a cooking rota with your flatmates, or you could freeze meals in a tub and have a handy meal ready for when time is running short.

USE APPS SUCH AS OLIO TO DONATE SURPLUS FOOD – Collecting unwanted food and saving money is just a couple of clicks away. Or you could bring the same idea a little more local and have a weekly food swap within your university halls.

PLAN YOUR MEALS AND BUY ONLY WHAT YOU NEED – Write a menu and stick to it! Buy only the ingredients you require and in the right quantities if possible – local markets come in handy here and you are supporting small, local businesses at the same time. Remember to be savvy with your ingredients; if you buy a broccoli tree, chop up the trunk and add to a stir-fry or a smoothie.

START A COMMUNITY FRIDGE AT YOUR UNIVERSITY – Get in touch with the catering team in your university canteens and see if you can have a community fridge where students (and local coffeeshops) can contribute unwanted/soon-to-go-off-food to share with others.

MAKE EASY, NUTRITIOUS MEALS WITH FOOD LEFTOVER AT THE END OF THE WEEK – A meal is a meal no matter how weird and wonderful. Trial some new vegetable soups and stews or get experimental and see what you can make with the ingredients left at the end of the week. Instagram accounts such as @lovestudentleftovers share easy recipes using commonly wasted foods to get some inspiration. Give yourself a challenge and see what you can make.

GET CREATIVE! – IIf you’ve got an eye for art, take a look at Jane Gray’s ‘Tea Bag Wedding Dress’ made out of unbleached Clipper tea bags – now that’s reusing and avoiding waste at its finest! TALK TO YOUR UNIVERSITY – Twenty-one percent of students that took part in The Student Perspective report said that they would find it useful to learn more about the impacts of food waste as part of their university degree. Talk to your lecturers to see how they can implement this into the program.

Reduce your carbon ‘foodprint’ today The Office for National Statistics reports that households contribute to 70% of food wasted in the UK. When food goes to landfill and decomposes in the absence of oxygen, it produces methane. This is 23 times more deadly than carbon dioxide and is extremely problematic for the environment. If you adopt just one of the tips listed above, you are contributing to the fight against climate change. You are taking action. Want to help reform the food system? Subscribe to our Careers Guide to discover green jobs and learn about employment opportunities with our partners

CAREERS IN FOOD GUIDE

CHOOSING A COURSE FOR A CAREER IN FOOD Do you have a degree in food science?

So, you’re interested in a career in the food industry but you aren’t entirely sure where your current degree can take you, or you simply don’t know how to achieve your aspirations? Luckily for you, this guide is full of resources to help you make the most of your degree and help you get where you want to be in terms of your career in the food industry.

A degree in food science will unlock a huge range of roles for you in the food industry, in a number of different sectors, including manufacturing, engineering and healthcare.

What can I do with my degree in the food sector?

What can I do with a food science degree? A degree in food science can lead you down a huge number of pathways. Some job roles that are directly related to this degree include, but are not limited to:

Maybe you think your degree isn’t suited for the food industry, or you simply don’t know how to effectively use your degree to break into the food industry. Whatever the case, just know that no degree was a waste of time. The food industry requires skilled people from a wide variety of backgrounds in order for it to keep functioning smoothly. From accounting to journalism, and even zoology, find out what the prospects are for your current degree and see how each can be implemented in the food sector.

» Food technologist » Nutritional therapist » Product/process development scientist » Quality manager » Technical brewer » Chef » Production manager » Research scientist (life sciences) See all cereers descriptions

Please remember that many employers accept applications from graduates with any degree subject, so don’t restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here. 10

How to choose the right degree for a career in food

Is university right for you, or should you choose an apprenticeship?

There are so many university courses to choose from, and a huge number of universities to go to, so how do you choose which one is the right one for you? Deciding what to study, and where, can be a long and daunting process, so it’s a good idea to narrow down your options when it comes to degrees.

Deciding the path you want to go down when it’s time to leave college can be a really tough choice. Do you want to get a degree from a university, or would you prefer to opt for an apprenticeship to earn while you learn? Both options have their pros and cons, but which is the best route for you?

It is good to keep in mind that the subject you choose to study will determine what kind of qualification you’ll achieve at the end of your course. Out of the types of qualifications, the bachelor’s degree is the most popular undergraduate route into higher education - and they cover a massive range of courses and subjects: from food science, chemistry, journalism, and the arts!

CHOOSING TO GO TO UNIVERSITY: University opens you up to thousands of courses which can leave your career opportunities more open-ended in terms of future opportunities. University also grants you the opportunity to live away from home, helping you to learn a range of soft skills which are necessary for most job roles.

A bachelor’s degree typically lasts three to four years, depending on the subject and if you choose to study full-time, with assessments and exams making up the majority of your final grades each year.

CHOOSING TO DO AN APPRENTICESHIP: Immediately entering the workforce, gaining important experience and learning while you do the job, all while earning money as you study – however, you do enter the workforce at a lower level. On the plus side, you won’t have tuition fees to contend with, and you’ll make industry contacts from day one.

So, when it comes to choosing the right degree for a career in the food sector, what can you do?

FOUNDATION DEGREES

HND COURSES

Foundation degrees were created in partnership between universities, higher education colleges, and employers. They were designed to focus on the development of in-demand technical skills for a particular job or profession - proving a solid and strong platform for students seeking employment in specific sectors, such as the food sector.

HND courses are highly practical qualifications that help prospective employees to enter the workplace right away. HND courses can also lead you to university, which will enable you to top up your qualification to a full bachelor’s degree.

By undertaking a foundation degree, you open yourself up to being qualified to work in your desired workplace, but you also open the door to undergraduate study - which leads to being qualified for jobs higher up the chain in your chosen industry.

Higher National Diploma courses are perfectly suited for those who prefer learning whilst doing – providing a faster route into certain professions than university. They can take two years of full-time study to complete, and are designed to help students develop the hands-on skills required for certain professions and industries.

See all the UK degree courses for a career in food

CAREERS IN FOOD GUIDE

Cook up a career at Compass Redefining recruitment: How The Advocate Group is changing the game Budweiser searching for sparkling talent among UK apprentices Graduate schemes in the food industry: JDE Peet’s, Diageo, and Kepak Creating menus for Virgin Atlantic at 35,000 feet

COOK UP A CAREER AT COMPASS Compass loves food. It loves food even more than you. It loves food so much it’s involved in every aspect of it, whether it’s foraging for it, developing recipes, or serving it up everywhere from schools to hospitals, defence sites and across workplaces – around 6,000 sites in total. And to serve these millions of meals every day, Compass Group UK & Ireland offers a career to tens of thousands of people across the UK. Nick Vadis, Culinary Director for Compass Group UK & Ireland and Chef Ambassador to NHS supply chain, has worked at Compass for over 20 years and says: “This industry is a great place to be, and Compass has so many amazing opportunities. We are part of a global company, we work across sectors, we have fantastic partnerships and people, plus we’re growing. Without our people, we couldn’t operate, so as a company we are committed to investing in our talent and offering everyone oppor tunities to thrive and develop.”

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL

JA M E S H A L L I W EL L

Nick says: “The infrastructure that sits behind Compass for culinary craft and personal development is second to none. We are all about our people. It’s given me loads of unique opportunities and we have so many examples of individuals who have joined and progressed, carving out amazing careers for themselves.” Last year, Compass launched Our Social Promise, an ambition to positively impact one million lives by 2030, from both within and outside the organisation through job creation, education, training, community, and charitable engagement. Part of this strategy includes the development of its people, maximising training opportunities from apprenticeships, mentoring, its graduate scheme, and internal Career Pathways platform.

Moreover, Compass has been committed to support a diverse breadth of social enterprise businesses to create positive social impact. Their award-winning work, pioneering sustainable causes across their supply chain with social enterprise suppliers, has allowed them to change lives for the better. Leanne Turk is a great example of career progression at Compass. After joining eight years ago she’s now Executive Development Chef for Chartwells Independents and last year joined the first cohort of chefs that were part of the Forward with Marcus Wareing programme. The course is an enhanced programme which runs alongside a Level 4 Senior Culinary Chef or Level 5 Operations Departmental Manager apprenticeship standard delivered in partnership with national hospitality training provider, HIT Training.

Alongside its industry leading apprenticeships, Compass also runs its Operational Graduate Scheme, which relaunched in 2019 and it’s going from strength to strength. The two-year programme gives a wide breadth of experience for graduates across varying sectors of the business. These people are usually passionate about service and want to develop their management career with the company. “We know that one hat doesn’t fit everyone,” says Leanne. “We have very flexible ways of working across all of our sectors, and one of our biggest focus points is how we nurture and retain people and make sure that everyone feels that they’ve got an equal opportunity to go on to a career pathway – whatever that might be. The world is your oyster!” “We offer a huge variety of different roles. I’m in contract catering now, but I’ve done fine dining, I’ve done London hotels, I’ve done London restaurants. For me, it was experiencing every part of the industry. Having been here for eight years, I can honestly say it’s an exciting and rewarding place to be.”

WHY COMPASS?

She says Compass also has created what it calls a ‘Talent Map’, so when people gain qualifications, such as apprenticeships they can see what they could do next. “We are trying to make sure they learn as much as they can, and over time we give them more opportunities, to the point where they’ll hopefully stay with us and continue to progress.”

Despite the global economic rollercoaster of the past four years, Compass has seen a period of significant growth. As a business they have embraced innovation and technology to introduce smarter and more efficient operations. From frictionless purchasing, digital ordering solutions or cleaning robots, Compass is adopting new ways of working to deliver great services for their clients and customers, despite the economic volatility.

Leanne comments that one of the things she loves most about Compass is being creative and innovative – but with sustainability at its heart. Compass has committed to reach Climate Net Zero by 2030 and with 80% of Compass’ carbon footprint attributable to food, chefs are crucial to this agenda and can collectively make a massive impact for change. Leanne said: “Learning to make our menus and concepts more sustainable has been key and something that the teams at Compass have embraced. The Forward programme has sustainability as a key theme, so I have learnt so much through this over the past year and a half and have been able to bring it back to my kitchen and the wider team.”

HOW TO FIND OUT MORE

TALENT AND PROGRESSION

“We’re definitely an employer that provides opportunity, and that’s not just within culinary,” says Leanne. “We offer over 60 apprenticeships within business administration, front of house, back of house, finance and so much more.”

Nick commented on the breadth of opportunities available: “The bulk of our business is providing nutritious, delicious meals to everyone from soldiers, sailors, workplaces, hospitals, schools, leading sports stadiums, University students and so many more. There’s enough diversity within that to move around our business to different sectors. Importantly it also gives our people opportunities, flexibility and learnings from across the industry.” He’s also clear that even for those who are interested in food but may not have an exact career path mapped out in finer detail, that shouldn’t stop them investigating Compass to find out more about the careers it offers or learning about its latest initiatives.

Nick says: “If you’ve got the energy, the passion and the drive, you can go anywhere in this industry. If you come into food service, it can give you all the opportunities you want out of life. We are all about hiring the person, someone with potential who can learn and train on the job.” Take a look at the opportunities to Join our Family through Apprenticeships and our Graduate Programmes or look at our recruitment pages to explore the many job opening we have at Compass Group UK & Ireland!

EMPLOYERS

R E D E F I N I N G R EC R U I T M E N T

How The Advocate Group is changing the game

Every business filling a vacancy wants the perfect person. So they post the role, applications arrive, and a shortlist emerges. So far, so normal.

process,” says Chris Dickenson, MD and co-founder of consumer product recruitment specialists The Advocate Group.

The trouble is almost every budding hopeful pins their dreams of an interview on their CV. And, almost always, these bits of paper are all a hiring manager has to go on in terms of deciding whether to offer an interview (or not).

“The most important element in any business is its people, but an individual applying for a role had to hope their CV was written perfectly enough to grab somebody’s attention. I asked hiring managers ‘How often do you see a CV that looks good on paper but when you invite them in you quickly realise there’s not an alignment, or the competency just isn’t there?’ They said it happens all the time.”

Worse still, that CV will usually end up in a pile of other CVs, a ream of not-singing, not-dancing, old-fashioned formality in a world with so much technological advancement. Can anyone truly gather a full and detailed view of a candidate from a couple of sheets of paper? And how can a single candidate, however promising they are, stand out from a pile of generic CVs? “For the food and drink industry, where innovation is at the forefront, we wanted to make sure the same level of progress was being made within the recruitment 16

Throughout the recruitment process, he says a candidate is reliant on one of two things, the “quality of their CV and cover letter, or the ability of the recruiter to translate their experience. We wanted to allow the individual to have control over how they were represented, and also help them navigate the recruiting process. So Advocate 360º, a digital shortlisting platform where the candidate highlights their relevance by answering specific key competencies or tasks, was born.”

Advocate 360º is a digital platform, but it operates in tandem with a personalised, human touch, and the combination significantly increases and enhances a candidate’s journey. The Advocate Group has a detailed consultation with each client before beginning the talent search process, only inviting people to complete a profile on the platform if they believe they are right for the role, and each candidate has a dedicated advocate that helps to guide them not just through the platform, but the entire recruitment process. “They can give you advice on salary, career progression, interviewing, and so on,” says Chris. “It’s a personal, tailored service, not soulless, offering coaching through the process.” And it’s proven to work. Not just for all the aforementioned benefits to candidates, but businesses using the platform report an increase in candidate suitability, a more efficient interview to placement process, and a very welcome reduction in the amount of time spent on hiring. If those are three of the fundamental benefits Advocate 360º offers, it can also be used to navigate some of the key challenges recently laid down to recruiters, such as furthering progress on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

It can certainly make the process more manageable for neuro diverse candidates - or indeed anyone who may not always find it easy to ‘sell’ themselves in traditional face-to-face interview situations, despite being well qualified for the role. But the platform can also be tweaked to strip out any individual identifiers that risk introducing bias, unconscious or otherwise, from the recruitment process. “Diversity, equity and inclusion are not just buzzwords,” says Chris. “They are integral components of a thriving and sustainable workplace. And that’s only becoming clearer in the modern world. Innovation is as essential here as it is at the process level. “We’ve moved into a much more modern and focused approach on increasing diversity. The platform lends itself extremely well to that. Even if you remove the elements where you could have conscious bias, you’re still getting the ability to assess people on competency, or on a set task, so you can really focus on an individual’s ability to perform the role.” Ultimately Advocate 360º comes down to a combination of innovation and strategic process, which he says is a “key reason why organisations like Danone, McCain, Princes Food Group, and Monster Energy have utilised the services of The Advocate Group at all levels throughout their organisation.”

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Budweiser searching for sparkling talent among UK apprentices Fresh from the launch of Budweiser Zero in the UK, Budweiser is looking for the next new big thing, only this time it’s focusing on recruitment rather than reformulation. The brewing giant is looking for apprentices for its Drinks Dispense unit, which is made up of 135 staff and 98 technicians. The main element of the role involves learning how to install and maintain draft beer equipment for the company – but the role could take them up and down the country, and involve working in a range of different environments. For instance, the Budweiser installation could take place in any one of the 39,000 licensed venues in the shape of pubs and clubs, or involve working at Wimbledon, Wembley, or the O2 in London. “The role can get you to see national events and facilities in a light that the general public won’t get to see, it’s a fascinating area to be in,” says Peter Amor, Divisional Manager at Budweiser Brewing Group. The apprenticeships in Budweiser’s Drinks Dispense programme take 18 months to complete, and include a mix of college studies and ‘on-thejob’ mentoring to help successful

applicants be as prepared as possible to take the first steps in their career. They also take place at Budweiser’s site in Wolverhampton, with the majority of college study offered at the City of Wolverhampton College nearby. Several brewery apprenticeships are also offered by the company at the Magor Brewery in South Wales. These apprenticeships are four years long, with the first year being spent at college to help apprentices get an understanding of whether they are more comfortable building electrical or mechanical skills. After this, they then spend the remaining years working at the brewery, switching between different departments to get a sense of which area they prefer. At the end of the apprenticeship they can apply to go into a full time role, or to go into further education via another apprenticeship or study a degree at university.

Graduate schemes in the food industry JDE Peet’s, Diageo, and Kepak FI O N A H O L L A N D

If you’re currently studying for your degree, you might be thinking about applying to some graduate schemes in the food industry.

programmes during your final year of university, as companies typically recruit their cohorts a year in advance.

Available to recent university graduates, graduate schemes are a mixture of entry-level roles and training programmes, which typically introduce you to working at the company and give you the opportunity to develop practical experience in different areas and departments.

At the Food Matters Live Inspiring Careers in Food event held in London earlier in November, we found out more about the exciting opportunities on offer at three leading companies in the food and drink industry: tea and coffee company JDE Peet’s, alcoholic beverages giant Diageo and meat producer Kepak. From manufacturing and R&D to supply chain analyst and marketing roles, the organisations run a range of graduate schemes – giving recent graduates the opportunity to learn about areas of the food industry they want to work in and grow their skill set.

If you want to apply for a graduate scheme while you study, it’s important to do so within the first three years after graduating. If you want to launch into your career right after finishing your studies however, you should begin applying to graduate

EMPLOYERS

JDE PEET’S If you’ve ever made yourself a cup of coffee or tea, it’s very likely you’ll have come across JDE Peet’s already. Available in over 100 markets and with 19,000 associates, it’s fair to say the company has an expansive global reach. There’s a huge demand from consumers for its products, “Last year we served 4500 cups of coffee and tea every second globally,” explains Dr Jade Phillips, External Technology & Science Specialist at JDE Peet’s. The company owns over 50 brands, including Douwe Egberts, Kenco, Senseo, Pickwick, L’Or and Tassimo to name a few. Some of the career opportunities offered by JDE Peet’s include: DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST Works on development of capsules and getting commissioning from the factories on the new lines and the new recipes.

MODELLING STATISTICS SPECIALIST Helps to improve the quality of certain processes by looking at the interactions that occur between products and trying to find ways to reduce wastage.

PROCESS SPECIALIST – INSTALLATIONS AND REGULATORY SPECIALIST Creates installations of new production lines and technologies in factories – a role which is involved both in the R&D and operations side of the company.

QDA PANEL LEAD Completes requested consumer trial projects and analyses data and presents it to key stakeholders.

SUSTAINABLE NUTRITION AND REGULATORY SPECIALIST Needs to be aware of new regulations coming into play and figures out how to incorporate these changes into the business.

COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE SPECIALIST Keeps up to date with new and upcoming trends in the industry, and helps the organisation think about how they can hop onto that trend, or improve it in some way.

While a range of graduate scheme positions are available, science-based roles are particularly important to the company as they’re essential to helping it make such successful products, says Jade. “We have things like our instant bistro style products, and these really need a complex integral design”, she 20

explains. “Because coffee is acidic, you need to have stability to make sure your protein is protected from the milk protein, as well as stability against heat shock. You’ll also have to figure out how you can protect the product from the heat of boiling water. There’s also the question of different mineral compositions in water, meaning you may have to adapt your recipes to meet these in different countries.” These are all skills that you’ll develop on the job to help you build your knowledge of the company and ensure its products are of the best quality. Jade explains, “Of course, you can’t be expected to know about things like the mineral composition of water in a country, so we offer training and the opportunity to go to trials and conferences to build your understanding.” Training could take place internally or externally depending on your role says Jade, “It depends on what we might train you into. It might be around things like the particle droplet size, or the spray angle and the nozzle dimensions. There are also a lot of analytical tools within JDE that we use, so if you’re very much into material science and the complexity of science, you can [receive training on that.]” With office locations in 40 different countries, graduate schemes at JDE Peet’s give you the chance to travel and relocate somewhere on the other side of the world if you want to. “It really enables personal development and growth and gives you the chance to travel and experience different cultures,” says Jade. “I’m English but I live in the Netherlands. [Another colleague] was living in Germany but decided he wanted a complete culture change and moved to Singapore. We can still work at the same company but get a completely different experience.”

What do I need to get onto this programme? » Make sure you have an up-to-date LinkedIn profile that stands out. » Tailor your CV and cover letter per application. For JDE Peet’s for instance, it’s worth looking at the key values of the company – simplicity, solidarity entrepreneurship, discipline, and accountability – and figuring out ways in which you can

incorporate those into the cover letter. » Read the job specification carefully – a job title isn’t always what it seems. If the job description is broad, make sure you ask questions about the role when you go into an interview to find out what type of projects you’d be working on and whether you would be able to bring value to those. » If you reach the interview stage, make sure you have done your research on the company, and use that knowledge so the recruiter knows you understand the organisation well and are interested in what they do. » Know your key strengths. Whether it’s communication, organisation or being data driven, you need to be able to explain what qualities you’re going to bring to the company if you’re hired.

Find out what programmes are currently available at JDE Peet’s.

Each programme is typically split up into the following: » 70% on the job experience, supported by formal and informal opportunities. » 20% involves development, which comes from feedback sessions, observations through learning what senior leaders do in the business and formal mentoring and coaching – provided by not only a mentor, but also a buddy, your line manager and the Early Careers Programme Manager. » 10% features formal training and workshops which focus on Diageo’s leadership standards, to inspire graduates and help them learn how they could become future leaders of the company.

What do I need to get onto this programme? If you’re interested in this programme, applications are accepted a year in advance and open in October.

DIAGEO

The application process for the graduate scheme involves:

Diageo offers its graduates the opportunity to work with over 200 brands sold in more than 180 countries – from Guinness, Baileys and Tanqueray to Smirnoff, Captain Morgan, and Johnnie Walker.

STAGE 1: Picking the programme that suits you and filling out a short form and answering some short introductory questions. You’ll also have upload a CV, which will be looked at and assessed at the final stage.

The organisation offers six different graduate programmes, each running between two to three years. They involve two to three role rotations and are located across Great Britain, Ireland and the rest of Europe.

STAGE 2: Playing a series of twelve games which measure your personal attributes and give you a personalised report.

The six graduate programmes Diageo offers are: SUPPLY CHAIN AND MANUFACTURING DIGITAL AND TECHNOLOGY MARKETING

FINANCE

HUMAN RESOURCES

STAGE 3: Taking part in a virtual interview where you’ll be asked five competency questions related to Diageo’s leadership standards and values. STAGE 4: Taking part in a half day virtual assessment, where you’ll learn about the business and company culture, and about your graduate programme. You’ll be able to ask questions and learn more about the training process.

SALES Find out what programmes are currently available at Diageo.

EMPLOYERS

KEPAK Since it was founded in 1966 in County Meath, Ireland, Kepak has transformed from a family-owned local butcher shop to an international meat producer with over 5,000 employees working across 43 countries. If you’re interested in a graduate programme which could lead to a managerial role, joining Kepak could be the right choice for you. Its scheme has been running for 30 years and has produced most of the company’s Senior Managers, according to Cian Short, Careers Manager at Kepak. “I’m sure lots of businesses will say that, but we can point our finger to it”, he explains. “During our last induction, there were nine Managers and Directors coming down to talk to graduates. We have an amazing track record of people becoming Senior Managers, because that’s what we want – we want you to grow from within and we want people to feel part of the family.” The programme is about working closely with leaders and experts. You get to spend a lot of time with people who run the business. There are regular interactions with senior leaders like the CEO. “They care about the people who work for them,” says Cian. “That’s because success for us in a programme is people who’ve stayed with us for five years or more. We don’t want to churn people through a graduate programme. That’s not what we’re about.”

Kepak’s two-year programme features: » The opportunity to work in a variety of departments: from NPD, International Sales Management, Business Unit Management, Supply Chain, and Finance. » A detailed learning journey: the company highlights what knowledge, skills, and behaviours it wants its graduates to develop by the end of the two years, meaning they know what is expected of them when they join, what opportunities they’ll be exposed to and how they’re going to grow. » A training plan mapped to the learner journey: this plan is tailored to you and will help you learn certain skills you may not have had the chance to develop yet. This could include training in Excel, effective self-leadership, presentation, or communication skills. » Support from a mentor: to help you progress and give you good career advice throughout your two years. » Access to a buddy network: which connects you with alumni from the programme, allowing you to ask them questions about their career and the training you may not want to ask your mentor. » Opportunities to engage with senior leaders at the company: Directors, Heads of Function, the HR Director or even the CEO. » The chance to complete a qualification in your second year: a recognised qualification from the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM). During the programme, you’ll have the opportunity to work in various areas of the business this could be more operational and or more office-based roles. “We want to help people explore what they want to do, rather than pigeonhole you from day one. You might be fixated on one thing now but might want to try a different area later on. We have several people now working in health and safety or technical roles who joined us as commercial marketing graduates.”

What do I need to get onto this programme? Kepak’s graduate scheme also offers the opportunity to work in the food industry without having completed a degree in food. “Graduates can come from all disciplines for the Irish and UK side. We don’t have specific degrees that we recruit from because talent comes from everywhere,” says Cian. But before anything else, “It’s important that our core values align with your values, and we’re the type of business that you want to work for”, he explains. “When you go out looking for any business to join, it’s important that you do some research on who they are and how they operate. If you align with that, you’ll be way happier as you’ve thought about what matters to you.” The main qualities Kepak look for in prospective graduates relate to the company’s own values, which are: » Responsibility: being able to use your own initiative successfully and to help Kepak strive for change and be better at what they do, and show a willingness to learn. » Passion for food: you need to have a love for the industry you work in and recognise its importance. » Ambition: it’s important to go into this scheme knowing a bit about what you’re looking for in your career and where you want to go to, as well as showing motivation to work hard and determination to succeed. » Teamwork: with such a large team, you need to show a willingness to work together to help the company achieve its goals. Finding ways to incorporate these values into your application and your interview will help the company see how you could make a suitable candidate for the programme. Find out what programmes are currently available at Kepak.

EMPLOYERS

P O D C A S T EP I S O D E

Creating menus for Virgin Atlantic at 35,000 feet “I literally have the best job in the world,” says Hari Ghotra, Food and Beverage Development (Global Lead) at Virgin Atlantic. “I get to travel a lot, meet some amazing chefs, and eat some incredible food.” It’s hard to argue with that assessment. If you love food and love travel, this is up there as one of the dream jobs. Added to that, Hari is also a hugely successful cook, author and entrepreneur, founding the biggest Indian food digital platform in the UK harighotra.co.uk Her book “Indian for Everyone: 100 Easy, Healthy Dishes the Whole Family Will Love” is proving extremely popular too. Hari’s job at Virgin Atlantic sees her travelling all around the world, working with caterers, and trying to find the best food to serve in the air. She manages the menus on all inbound flights

to the UK and goes to painstaking lengths to make sure that what is served meets the needs of the passengers and crew. There are certain challenges to serving 300 meals at 35,000-feet, not least the way our taste palates change at altitude. There’s also limited equipment to contend with on a plane, and the pure logistics of trying to serve hundreds of meals very quickly in a small space. Hari and her team go through hours and hours of testing to get the best results. “It is personal,” she says. “The chefs that I work with take it personally if something they’ve created doesn’t come across how they want it to be or if a customer isn’t happy.” Listen to the full episode to find out how she launched her own business, why she believes loving what you do is the key to success, and why certain wines taste better than others when you’re in the air.

LISTEN NOW 24

Your complete guide to food sustainability courses The ultimate guide to food engineering courses for processing, manufacturing, chemistry and more Nutrition courses in the UK – what’s available? How you could help fix the global food system

Your complete guide to food sustainability courses Sustainable food systems are essential to ensuring all people around the world are able to access safe, nutritious, and affordable food. Sustainable food production encompasses the shared responsibility for the production, supply, and consumption of safe and nutritious food within a viable, sustainable, industry. This should also protect and enhance the natural environment and quality of life of people in the future. During your time on a food sustainability course, you can expect to learn about the following topics: » Environmental economics » Policies » Investments » Enterprise management » Financial markets » Law

What can you expect from food sustainability courses? There are a diverse range of food sustainability courses available in the UK which expose students to the many contemporary challenges of global food sustainability. These courses enable students to learn about issues such as food security, malnutrition, and health issues associated with insufficient food. They also include researching the world’s biggest sustainability challenges and approaches for reaching net zero through emerging themes and successful business models. The following courses involve a wide range of assessment methods to determine your final grade. These include written reports, presentations, team-based projects, exams, and dissertations.

Environment, Food, and Society BSc (Hons) This food sustainability course gives learners the skills needed to understand sustainability challenges whilst contributing to solutions to major global issues. Topics such as natural resource management, wildlife conservation, animal welfare, agroforestry, ecology and community-supported agriculture will be covered to enhance understanding of the core issues presented by global sustainability efforts. Learning will often focus on four key themes: people and food, food and the environment, people and the environment, and making a difference. This course is often developed in collaboration with programmes such as the Soil Association Food for Life to provide credible real-life research. Core modules include: » Soil and environmental science » Introduction to the agri-food industry » Species and ecosystems » Ecosystem services and sustainability » Advocacy & activism in food & farming

» People and food » Landscape conservation » Society and food » Resilience of agro-ecosystems » Countryside and environmental management » Food ethics and governance

Sustainable Food Production BSc (Hons) In any shopping trip to the supermarket, you will see a wide array of non-native fruit and vegetables which are only able to get there through a deeply interconnected global world. This food sustainability course explores consumer-led demands, buying habits, and how they influence the sale of produce. The course also aims to produce business-focused graduates who are able to critically analyse a range of different sectors and boundaries within the food sustainability industry. Core modules include: » Principles of sustainable development » Integrated production systems » Biological processes » Climate, soils and land use » Global and local food systems » Agribusiness management for a circular economy

» Environmental management » Academic and professional development » Political and economic contexts » Fresh produce production » Plant physiology » Natural resources management

COURSES

Regenerative Food and Farming BSc (Hons) This food sustainability course gives learners the chance to explore cutting-edge alternatives to mainstream agricultural practices and food systems. Food systems are key when it comes to examining environmental and social sustainability. By implementing sustainable farming practices around the world, natural resources and rural economies can be regenerated. But this can only happen if these new developments are supported with capital and interest by retailers and consumers. During their time in this food sustainability course, students will discover the answers to questions which bar the way to a more sustainable global food system. Core modules include: » Global food systems » The evolution and revolutions of agriculture » Environmental and agricultural biosciences » Ecological and regenerative agriculture » Food and health

» Crop production science » Innovative food production systems » Agri-food technology » Managing sustainable food enterprises » Contemporary issues in food and farming

Global Health: Food Security, Sustainability, and Biodiversity MSc From the air we breathe and the water we drink being polluted, climate change, unsustainable farming, and supply chains, to population growth and concerns of hunger, obesity, and meat consumption, the challenges brought to light by sustainable living are more prominent than ever. Whilst exploring the most pressing issues affecting the Earth, this food sustainability course covers a wide range of topics which cross the intersections of environmental health, human health, and the crucial link between biodiversity, sustainable living, and food security. Core modules include: » The role of biodiversity in human and environmental health

» Sustainability and human livelihoods » Innovations in food security

COURSES

Sustainable Food Systems MSc In order to ensure that the world has access to safe, nutritious, and affordable food, sustainable food systems must be put in place. There are many challenges which are in the way of ensuring food security, and millions of people experience malnutrition and insufficient food-related health issues because of this limited access to food. As these challenges are posed to increase in the coming years, sustainable and cutting-edge intensification of agriculture must be developed in order to meet the needs of millions around the world. During this food sustainability course, students will gain a thorough understanding of the entire current food system – from farm to fork and all the intermediary stages in between. Students will also learn about carbon and water footprints and the need for sustainable intensification of agriculture when it comes to efficient energy and land use, as well as the protection of biodiversity. Core modules include: » Research methods and applications in biological sciences » Sustainable food systems

» Professional, employability and research skills for advanced biological sciences

COURSES

Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security MSc This food sustainability course arms learners with the skills and knowledge required by a number of bodies to respond to the biggest ecological challenges around the world. Students will dive into critical issues, including the exploitation of resources, poverty alleviation, food security, and the ethical and cultural implications of developing policies to implement sustainable practices around the world. This food sustainability course is ideal for those driven by the desire to shape public and political attitudes within an environment in which learners can develop a strategic and operational mindset to expand their opinions and guide those of global decision-makers. Core modules include: » Integrated agricultural systems » Poverty and food security » International rural development

» Facing the global challenges in food and agriculture » Managing global soils in a changing climate

Future Food Sustainability MSc As food security and sustainable food chains are major global challenges, we need new and sustainable ways of producing food in the future. Climate change, political and social changes around the world and new diet trends are some of the major driving forces behind these global changes and the need for new systems, but how can our current food systems be transformed into something more resilient and sustainable? Providing learners with a balanced mix of technology science, strategic foresight, and management skills, this food sustainability course enables students to develop a successful career within the food sector to make a difference in the world. Core modules include: » Principles of sustainability » Soil systems » Water and sustainable agrifood systems » Food chain resilience » Strategic foresight

» Technologies for seed and crop production » Evaluating environmental sustainability » Agricultural informatics

Sustainable Agriculture and Food Production MSc Although society is dependent on the ability to produce sufficient quantities of nutritious food through agriculture, modern-day farming practices have detrimental effects on the globe’s environments, biodiversity, and climate. A growing population, a changing climate, and ever-increased pressure on the environment are all raising the importance of sustainable agriculture and food production – but how can this be achieved? This food sustainability course builds upon key strengths within sustainable agricultural research whilst tapping into the diverse expertise available from industry leaders the world over. Students will also gain an understanding of the fundamentals of sustainable agriculture and food production from a range of perspectives, all while developing their knowledge of cutting-edge research in agriculture and sustainable food production. Core modules include: » Global challenges in sustainable agriculture » Crop production in a changing environment » Sustainable diets and protein production

» Crop science & plant biotechnology » Circular approaches to sustainable agriculture » Agri-environmental monitoring, economics & policy

Food and Development MA Food development is a multi-national issue which consists of global concerns of hunger, food insecurity, malnutrition, and a number of cultural and socio-economical factors. This food sustainability course explores the global and local effects of current unsustainable food practices whilst enabling students to gain an understanding of the consequences of aggressive globalisation in recent years in relation to food. Learners will also gain an advanced understanding of the highly complex relationships between food and development around the world – helping them to engage critically with pressing issues like food and nutrition security, sustainable food systems, and corporate power over value chains. Core modules include: » Critical debates in development theory » Food politics and development

COURSES

The ultimate guide to food engineering courses for processing, manufacturing, chemistry and more

Students who study food engineering courses will be able to obtain essential knowledge of engineering and apply this to the food industry. By combining basic engineering principles of fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and mass transfer, alongside great maths and science skills, graduates will be ready for an exciting and successful career within the ever-evolving global food industry. From applications of engineering principles to the storage of food, its processing and distribution, and bio-products, food engineering courses provide a sound education in engineering, as well as fundamental training in chemistry and food science. Topics you can expect to cover include: » Robotics and automation » Food quality assurance » Food safety management and the law » Advanced food chemistry » Food marketing » Microbiology

Food and Drink Advanced Engineering BEng This food engineering course is designed to give graduates the essential contemporary knowledge and understanding of food engineering and the practical skills required to develop a successful career as a food engineer. Skills, behaviours, and specialist knowledge will also be developed for mechanical, automation and production engineering. Comprising diverse roles across the food and drink industry, food engineers will be able to apply their highly specialised skill set to a range of areas, including asset care, management, and process development. They will also be able to apply these skills within their own company, or form close relationships with external equipment and ingredient suppliers. Core modules include: » Nature of Food » Electronic Control Systems » Engineering Design » Applied Mechanical Science – Materials Under Load » Hygiene and Food Safety » Thermal-Fluid Engineering in Food Production » Materials for the Food Industry » Mechatronics Design and Control » Food Product Manufacture » Competitive Food Production Management » Strategic Management » Reliability Engineering

Sustainable Agriculture and Food Production MSc As the global population is ever-increasing, the role of food technologists becomes more challenging. The development of innovative applications for agricultural technology, biological technology, and how raw food materials are processed needs to be further developed. The link between food, nutrition, and overall health also needs to be researched and

understood more than ever with the world’s growing health requirements. This food engineering course enables students to focus on a number of key discipline-based topics which involve food science, food manufacturing, food sustainability, and more. Additionally, modules such as food product development and food safety management prepare graduates for swift entry into the food industry. Core modules include: » Anatomy and physiology » Biochemistry and chemical science » Cell biology » Food science and nutrition » Food sustainability » Nutrition and health » Bioreactors and fermentation » Food manufacturing and processing » Food perception and product design » Food safety and microbiology » Food science and chemistry » Food technology » Advanced food manufacturing » Advanced food science and nutrition » Food product development » Food safety management and law

Food Processing Engineering MSc The food and drink manufacturing industry is one of the largest sectors in the UK, and this food engineering course equips students with the knowledge required for exciting, thriving, and innovative careers within the ever-evolving food and beverage industry. This food engineering course enables students to fully understand this industry, all while developing innovative solutions to increase sustainability and productivity and introducing efficient manufacturing to reduce costs and maintain a competitive advantage. Core modules include: » Advanced practice in health and life sciences » Food chemistry composition and analysis » Food manufacturing engineering

COURSES

» Food product design and manufacturing process development » Food safety engineering and management

Agricultural, Food and Environmental Engineering MSc This food engineering course enhances students’ learning with innovative teaching methods to create the opportunity to respond to global issues from the point of view of agricultural and food processing industries. This course also provides a response to the current systemic and global challenges created by ecological and social transition within society and in companies. The course is designed to help graduates to leave the course with the developed skills and knowledge required to find solutions adapted to a global population. Core modules include: » Study of living systems » Food systems and quality » Entrepreneurship and innovation » Information systems and digital transformation » International trade and business administration

Biosystems and Food Engineering MSc This Master’s food engineering course enables graduates from both engineering and mathematical-based backgrounds to specialise within the application of engineering science and design to biological systems. Students of this course will study subjects like food process engineering, sustainable energy development, and environmental protection methods. Biosystems engineers are at the front of the search for solutions to problems across the globe.

This career specialisation can lead graduates of this food engineering course to access a diverse range of employment opportunities within companies focusing on processing food and biological materials. This also extends to companies that conduct environmental protection, waste recycling, sustainable energy research, and the development of green tech. Core modules include: » Bioprocess engineering principles » Water and wastewater engineering » Food process engineering » Waste-to-energy processes and technologies » Food refrigeration engineering

Food Safety and Quality Engineering, MSc This Master’s level food engineering course has been specially designed to build up undergraduate knowledge of the food science and engineering field. This knowledge will be applied through practical applications and innovative research in order to develop the latest in cutting-edge food engineering technological breakthroughs. The field of food science is massively diverse, and this program reflects that perfectly with an emphasis on a variety of studies. From raw material qualifying and processing technology to quality analysis and quality assurance techniques – all designed to give graduates state-of-the-art knowledge to benefit the food and drinks industry in a range of engineering and dietetics roles. Core modules include: » Theory of measurement and experimental designs » Expectations to foodstuffs, consumer protection » Separation technique » Quality and safety in food technologies (HACCP in practice) » Food marketing » Basics of food microbiology » Management and communication

COURSES

Nutrition courses in the UK – what’s available? If you’re interested in a career in the food and drink industry, choosing a nutrition course may be the best path – but which nutrition course is the best one for you? There are many different kinds of nutrition courses available from various universities and colleges across the UK, and this amount of choice can make it difficult to know the right option to follow your desired career pathway.

Nutrition courses available in the UK From half-day training courses to degrees and postgraduate qualifications, the available nutrition courses in the UK are incredibly varied. To become a registered nutritionist, you will need to demonstrate that you have obtained the required knowledge and level of understanding acquired from a nutrition science degree of at least a BSc (Hons) level. Below, we detail a selection of undergraduate, postgraduate, and other nutrition courses in the UK to give you an idea about the range of training opportunities on offer for your desired career – including the different types of study each will include.

Nutrition BSc(Hons) As food is always in the media, with a near constant flux of information about diets and the impacts of food on our health, this nutrition course will enable students to become a part of the solution to address these kinds of problems. Students undertaking a nutrition BSc(Hons) course will explore nutrition, physiology, and exercise based on studies on applying the most current and up-to-date knowledge about human nutrition. In addition, there will also be a focus on public health, food consumer behaviour, aspects of food-related diseases and how nutrition can aid in combating these diseases. The first years of the nutrition BSc(Hons) focus on the basics of human nutrition. This includes studying the agrifood sector, consumer behaviour, human physiology, and the impacts of exercise and good nutrition. Key concepts of public health and nutrition will also become familiar to students. Second years in this course will explore food policy, behavioural changes, and nutrition health and disease – the first half of the second year also brings forward a choice of focusing on public health, sport and exercise, or core nutrition. Core modules include: » Introduction to key concepts in health and public health » Introduction to public health research and project methods » Foundations of physiology for sport and exercise » Introduction to human nutrition » Exploring the agri-food sector » Food consumer behaviour » Food policy » Enabling behavioural change » Nutrition, health and disease » Community engagement for public health

COURSES

Nutrition with food marketing BSc(Hons) This three-year nutrition with food marketing degree explores the links between diet and health while exploring how food marketing plays a role within these links. The first year of this nutrition course will introduce the underlying sciences behind nutrition, food marketing, and agri-systems. It will cover issues which are arising throughout the global food chain, from production to consumption, as well as the scientific nature and properties of a huge range of foods and nutrients. This knowledge will evolve as students develop their core knowledge of nutrition and other areas of study related to this course, and it will be used to explore the assessment of good nutrition and its importance at each human life stage. This will be backed up by investigations into the food science and product development industries, with studies into the latest concepts and applications of marketing strategies. The final year will conclude studies with areas such as nutrition and its relation to health and disease, metabolic and personalised nutrition, marketing metrics, and exploring how communication can bring about positive behavioural changes. Core modules include: » Introduction to marketing and consumer behaviour » Introductory business economics » Human physiology and practical skills » Introduction to nutrition » Practical skills for nutrition » Bioenergetics » Marketing digital strategy » New food product development » Marketing and public policy » Macro-and micronutrients » Food science and technology » Nutrition through the lifecycle » Measurement and assessment of dietary intake and nutritional status » Data & marketing analytics

» Communication and behaviour change » Personalised nutrition » Nutritional epidemiology and public health

Sport and exercise nutrition BSc(Hons) With a degree in sport and exercise nutrition, students will obtain specialised knowledge and skills in the food science and manufacturing sector. This will enable graduates to advise on the diet of clients, evaluate treatments, write health reports, and analyse food for sport and nutritional purposes. Students will observe the issues which make the headlines in the modern era – investigating the topics which are ever-present in our everyday lives. As the human relationship with food has never had such a high profile and presence in the public sphere, this course will explore the constant adaptations and innovations the food industry is generating to adhere to constantly changing consumer trends and developments. Core modules include: » The chemistry of food » Principles of nutrition and food » Systems physiology » Nutrition for exercise and health » Human metabolism and biochemistry » Sports nutrition » Exercise physiology » Performance nutrition » Nutrition in health and disease » Exercise prescription » Health promotion

Nutritional sciences BSc(Hons) A nutritional sciences degree will enable students to gain an understanding of the link between foods, diets, dietary patterns, nutrients, and physical health. This understanding is paramount in the current environment, and this is where nutritionists can help.

During this nutrition course, students will look at the constant focus on food in the headlines and how the food industry is constantly adapting to new consumer trends. Students will also gain a working knowledge of a wide range of nutrition issues affecting our current climate including the origins of certain nutrition-related illnesses and the chemistry of food and dietary assessments. Students will have the opportunity to obtain the specialist knowledge and skills required for food science and manufacturing – enabling successful graduates the ability to provide advice on a range of food topics such as diet, nutritional treatments, and the analysis of food. Core modules include: » The chemistry of food » Physiology and health » Principles of food and nutrition » Lifespan nutrition » Nutrition in health and disease » Public health nutrition

of the vast benefits nutrition and exercise can offer to improve people’s wellbeing. Students will explore a wide range of nutrition-related topics to gain a comprehensive understanding of how nutrition affects human physiology – this will include anatomy, physiology, energy metabolism, sport and exercise psychology, and nutrition. Throughout the years spent on this nutrition course, students will be introduced to the essential and fundamental concepts behind food and nutrition together with sport and exercise psychology. This knowledge will

Nutrition (exercise and health) BSc(Hons) For those interested in promoting good health and providing help to clients to prevent disease, this nutrition course offers practical knowledge

COURSES

only grow as students examine the principles of energy metabolism, enhancing their understanding of exercise physiology and the psychology behind sport and exercise. Core modules include: » Functional anatomy and exercise physiology » Applied nutrition » Research methods in exercise science » Public health nutrition » Exercise and health psychology

Fitness, nutrition, and health BSc(Hons) Studying nutrition and health provides students with the opportunity and knowledge of how to tackle social issues, such as the UK’s obesity epidemic. Learners will gain an understanding of the impact nutrition and exercise has on health, fitness, and disease, whilst providing the tools to professionally help change these behaviours when entering the industry. By completing this nutrition course, students will gain practical in-depth knowledge of nutrition and exercise, as well as a comprehensive understanding of how the topic s covered can improve the well-being of the population.

Core modules include: » Applied biological sciences for food and human health » Social science for sport and exercise » Nutrition and the consumer » Safe food handling » Properties of food » Food design and promotion » Nutrition through the lifespan » Public health nutrition and health promotion » Food characterisation » Clinical nutrition » Lifestyle management » Food and behaviour » Physical activity for special populations

Level 5 nutrition course: nutrition and immunity Building on content which is learnt at Level 4, this Level 5 standard qualification enables students to provide evidence-based advice to clients which supports their dietary approaches and their gut health. This course offers students an advanced understanding of how diet can support the immune system, providing the skills and understanding of the processes of

immune function, including auto-immune conditions and balancing gut bacteria. Learning includes: » Gut health and immunity » Micronutrients and immune function » The components of the immune system and how they function » Diet and auto-immune conditions » Dietary practices associated with optimum immune function

Level 5 nutrition course: advanced nutrient metabolism The UK’s first Ofqual recognised Level 5 nutrition course, this is a course which is ideal for individuals aiming to enhance their understanding of nutrient metabolism. Through this course, students will gain an indepth understanding of how nutrients are metabolised once consumed, including their effects on hormones, body composition, and long-term health. Students will also explore the science behind different approaches to fat loss – discovering which methods work, and which are not as effective as they are touted to be. Learning includes: » Hormonal and metabolic effects of carbohydrate consumption. » Insulin and blood glucose regulation » Factors affecting insulin sensitivity » Low carbohydrate and high-fat diets » The role of hormones in lipid metabolism and body composition » Appetite regulation » Benefits and risks of high protein diets » Approaches to fat loss: macronutrient balance versus energy balance, very-low-calorie diets, intermittent fasting » Impact of dietary factors on cholesterol and blood lipids » Essential fats: omega 3 and 6 fats, ideal ratios, and health benefits » The role of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) in energy metabolism

Level 4 RSPH nutrition Accredited by the Royal Society for Public Health, this Level 4 course provides the knowledge and skills required to advise a wide range of clients who have a wide variety of differing goals. From long and short-term goal advising to sportspeople, vegans, pre and postnatal clients, older adults, and more, the Level 4 RSPH nutrition course is the perfect course for people who want to provide expert nutrition advice. Learning includes: » Nutrition and weight management » Behaviour change coaching » Nutrition for sport and exercise » Childhood nutrition and obesity prevention » Pre and postnatal nutrition » Vegetarian, vegan and plant-based diets » Nutrition for older adults » Meal planning

Level 3 nutrition and weight management This nutrition course is the ideal starting point for anyone with a passion for health to understand the fundamentals behind nutrition and weight management. Certified by the Association for Nutrition, the nutrition and weight management course is a valuable addition to any career in the fitness industry and beyond, with perspectives into catering, corporate wellbeing, and community health programmes. Learning includes: » Behaviour change coaching: easily assess clients and choose the right strategies and techniques to facilitate positive change in their food and drink behaviours. » Nutrition and weight management: provides a thorough knowledge of nutrition, healthy eating habits, and weight management to provide professional advice to a vast range of clients.

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P O D C A S T EP I S O D E

How you could help fix the global food system “We have a growing population, lots of changes in the climate, lots of greenhouse gas emissions which are jeopardising our food production, and we are at risk of not being able to feed the world.”

Students work with Cranfield’s industry partners to ensure they get real world experience and a real sense of what is actually happening on the ground.

Natalia Falagán, Lecturer in Food Science and Technology, Cranfield University, succinctly sets out some of the major issues the world is facing, and why students are queuing up to enrol on her courses.

Another key element is the group project, where students work alongside others on different Masters courses at Cranfield to solve a problem posed by an industry partner or academic.

Enthusiasm for the subject is key, she says, and students “will get that enthusiasm and passion back from the lecturers”.

Natalia says this helps students develop crucial soft skills, as well as broadening their knowledge base.

In this episode of the Career Conversations podcast series, made in partnership with Cranfield University, we delve into the detail of what the courses cover and how they can set students on the path to a rewarding career.

Kate Jones studied on the course in 2021-22, leaving behind her job and salary.

Cranfield’s Masters in Future Food Sustainability is described as taking a whole system approach to solving some of the biggest challenges facing the global food system. Natalia says usually food people look at food, energy people look at energy, and water people look at water. “That’s not going to take us anywhere,” she says. “We need co-operation.” That co-operative approach presents itself in a number of different ways. One of the key elements of the course is the opportunity to work alongside industry.

Despite the risk, she says she felt confident taking the leap “because I was following my passion. I knew there would be an answer at the end of it”. Cranfield also runs a Masters in Food Systems and Management, which is slightly more technical. Natalia says students often go on to work in quality and safety of food products, as well as certification. Listen to the full episode to find out more about the big challenges facing the global food system, what life is like on the Cranfield University campus, and how you might go about choosing which course is right for you.

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JOBS & RECRUITMENT

Green Jobs: what does an Environmental Engineer do?

Green Jobs: what does a Food Safety Officer do?

Green Jobs: what does a Food Teacher do?

Green Jo an Agr

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Green Jobs does a Plant Nutritionis

obs: what does ronomist do?

Green Jobs: what does a Marketing Executive do?

Green Jobs: what does a Plant Geneticist do?

s: what t-based st do?

Green Jobs: what does a Supply Chain Manager do?

Green Jobs: what does a Food Technologist do?

P O D C A S T EP I S O D E

Career Conversations: Shaping the next generation of sustainable chefs When Ben Christopherson was travelling, shortly after going to catering college, he knew he wanted to work in pastry – but nobody would let him have a go. He ended up working at places like the luxury Goring Hotel, Harrods, and eventually launching his own business. Listen to the full episode to find out more about Ben’s varied past, why he ensures his course takes a holistic approach to learning, and how UWL can help students with work placements.

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What does a career in the food industry look like?

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APPRENTICESHIPS

What are apprenticeships? A comprehensive guide to food apprenticeships: getting a head start in the industry whilst learning on the job

You’ll be able to work alongside experienced co-workers, earn holiday pay and learn lots of practical skills that will help you succeed in the working world.

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WHAT ARE APPRENTICESHIPS?

If you’re just about to complete your GCSEs or A Levels but aren’t sure if further education is for you, taking an apprenticeship could be the answer. Apprenticeships give you the opportunity to be employed in a real paid job and study for nationally recognised qualifications at the same time. They’re an excellent way to get a sense of what it’s like to work in the food industry and figure out what you want from your future career.

To qualify for an apprenticeship, you must be 16 or over, live in the UK and not currently be studying or be about to begin any full-time education such as a course at university. You can apply for an apprenticeship while you’re still in school, but you must be expected to finish by the time the apprenticeship starts.

Are there different types of apprenticeships? There are various levels of apprenticeships that you can apply to. They are all recognised by employers as suitable equivalents to other qualifications that you might receive at sixth form or university. The range you can apply to are: » Intermediate Level 2 apprenticeship, which is the same level as a GCSE qualification (usually lasts around 12 months) » Advanced Level 3, equivalent to an A level (can last between 18 and 24 months depending on the subject) » Higher level 4, 5, 6 and 7, which is like a Foundation degree or higher (can vary between 24 months and 30 months) » Degree level 6 and 7 which is on par with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree (ranges in most cases from 24 to 36 months, with some engineering-based roles going up to 60 months) Apprenticeships vary slightly depending on where you are in the UK. England and Wales offer degree apprenticeships, but most are provided in England, according to UCAS. If you live in Scotland, degree apprenticeships are called Graduate Apprenticeships, while in Northern Ireland you can study Higher Level Apprenticeships (HLAs) which you can take up to the equivalent level of a Master’s degree.

How much time will I spend working vs studying? As an apprentice, you will likely spend 80% of your time doing practical work and 20% studying for essential theoretical qualifications. This might be done at your place or work, a local college or university your em-

ployer is partnered with, or even remotely. You can expect to work a minimum of 30 hours a week and a maximum of 40, depending on your role and area of the industry you’re working in. It’s also possible to apply for a part-time apprenticeship, though this needs to be agreed by your employer in advance. Part time-apprenticeships usually require at least 16 hours of work a week.

How much will I get paid? You will get paid the minimum wage for young people enrolled onto apprenticeship schemes. The amount you earn depends on how old you are. For example, if you’re 1618, or over 19 and in your first year of the apprenticeship, your salary will be at least £4.81 per hour. If you’ve already done your first year and are over 19, you’ll qualify for at least the National Minimum Wage, which varies in amount depending on your exact age. According to the most recent guidance from Gov.uk, if you’re aged 21 and have completed your first year of the apprenticeship you are entitled to a minimum of £9.18 per hour.

Will I be employed once my apprenticeship finished? It is quite common for apprentices to be offered a permanent full-time position at the company they work for by the time they graduate. While this is reassuring, it isn’t guaranteed. You also might not want to stay on where you’ve undertaken your apprenticeship, which is why it’s always useful to weigh up your other options. For instance, you may want to take on further study, explore the same role at another company or try out something completely different. The food industry has a plethora of positions which are advertised throughout the year meaning there isn’t a specific date you need to apply by.

APPRENTICESHIPS

A C O M P R E H E N S I V E G U I D E TO FO O D A P P R E N T I C E S H I P S

Getting a head start in the industry whilst learning on the job FI O N A H O L L A N D

If you’re looking to kickstart your career in the industry, food apprenticeships are a perfect way to get a hands-on experience of a job in the sector, helping you figure out the ideal role for you. Whether you’ve dreamt of leading a team of chefs at a top-tier restaurant, want to help people improve their diets, think you could select some top-selling products for a supermarket or fancy trying your hand at being a crop growth manager, there is a wide range of apprenticeships in the food industry. The benefit of taking on any one of these apprenticeships is that they offer various paths for career progression, with many having additional courses or ‘levels’ to follow to help you develop in your role. For example, if you start as a Food and Drink Process Operator – which is level 2 – 52

you can progress onto a level 3 version of the apprenticeship, if the company you are working for offers one. You can also look for other companies offering Higher Apprenticeships in levels 4, 5 or 6 in similar fields if you think they would benefit your development. Having completed these, a level 7 course – the highest apprenticeship level which is equivalent to a Masters’ degree – could also be your next step if it’s available. If you do want to progress onto a higher level of apprenticeship, you should keep in mind that the equivalent of a level 2 or level 3 in English and Mathematics (or BSL – British Sign Language – qualification as an alternative to English if this is your main language) is essential for many employers in the food sector, so it is worth reading through the entry requirements thoroughly before applying.

Learn more about the different levels of apprenticeships, what they mean, and how long they last here.

have a say in the design and development of new brands as well as operation of technology and equipment in the brewery.

Food apprenticeships on offer in the UK include:

It is worth keeping in mind that while most apprenticeships at Level 2 or 3 take between 18 to 24 months to complete, in engineering or manufacturing they can sometimes be slightly longer at around 30 months.

ENGINEERING AND MANUFACTURING FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION PROCUREMENT

AGRICULTURE

C AT E R I N G A N D H O S P I TA L I T Y DIGITAL DATA

SALES AND MARKETING

How can I progress? Depending on whether you employer offers it, you may be able to progress into a higher level of food manufacturing apprenticeships automatically once you finish. Some higher-level apprenticeships in manufacturing and engineering include:

ENGINEERING AND MANUFACTURING While it may seem like most people working in food engineering and manufacturing get into their roles by doing university degrees, there is a great number of apprenticeships on offer to help you get into the sector too. Some of the starter food production apprenticeship roles on offer, which are good for people with minimal experience and qualifications, include: » Level 2 Food and Drink Process Operator: requires you to support food and drink manufacturing operations by working with technical operators to facilitate the set up and shutting down of food and drink production lines and machines. » Level 3 Food and Drink Maintenance Engineer: involves maintaining machinery and equipment and looking for and fixing faults to ensure efficient production levels. » Level 3 Food and Drink Technical Operator: you’ll work on production operations, setting up and performing maintenance on operational factors of food and drink machinery and tools. » Level 4 Brewer: you’ll learn to make beer and operate all the machinery. You may also get to

» Level 5 Food and Drink Engineer: this involves maintaining and installing various equipment and machinery used to produce food and drinks. You typically can apply for this level upon completion of the Level 3 Food and Drink Maintenance Engineer apprenticeship. » Level 6 Food and Drink Advanced Engineer: you will be focused on creating effective production systems that are both safe to use and have no negative impact on the environment. You can also apply for this apprenticeship after graduating from the Level 3 Food and Drink Maintenance Engineer apprenticeship. » Level 6 Packaging Professional: this level involves leading the technical packaging delivery projects and programmes for a range of products which could feature food and drink. This role is essential to many industries, so you may not get to work for the food sector straightaway, though already studying a lower level of a food-related engineering role could help you meet the requirements of an employer in the food sector. You may also be offered a full-time working position related to the field of your apprenticeship once you complete it. This could lead to progression into roles such as Food Processing Engineer, Lead Maintenance Engineer, Head Brewer or Senior Packaging Technologist. APPRENTICESHIPS

FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION Another area of the food and drinks sector which offers an array of apprenticeships is food science and nutrition. Applying for an apprenticeship in this area will help you develop new food and drink products or innovating and improving the recipes of foods already on the market. One starter level training course in this area includes the food technology apprenticeship: » Level 3 Food Technologist: you’ll help to develop new food and drink products, modify, and improve the recipes of foods already on the market, and make sure the processing and packaging procedures meet company environmental and food safety standards.

How can I progress? After completing a food technologist apprenticeship, you may decide to stay on at that company and enter an entry-level role as a Food Technologist. After this, there are opportunities to move into food inspection, for instance in a local authority environmental health department. Depending if your company offers it, upon completing the Level 3, you will be qualified to take on a higher-level food technology degree apprenticeship, which could be in a related field such as: » Level 6 Food Industry Technical Professional: you’ll learn how to manage the safety of food and drink products. It is worth bearing in mind that you must have three A levels or a decent level of industry experience in science and/or food technology-related subjects to qualify for this apprenticeship. Other higher-level food science apprenticeships where a food technologist background will help you include: » Level 5 Dairy Technologist: it involves delivering expert technical advice and support on various processing and operational activities of 54

dairy production. This could include applying food safety regulations, making sure there is an efficient use of resources to minimise waste, and identify solutions which could solve issues and improve the efficiency of technologies in the processing unit. A different food science degree apprenticeship on offer is: » Level 7 Dietitian: an integrated degree qualification which will prepare you for working with in a real-world dietetic setting. This could be in a hospital or community healthcare practices where you help people diagnose and treat diet-related health problems and help them make better food choices. You could also work for clinical nutrition companies, in higher education, sports, or national and local government positions. As with the food technologist roles, you ideally need three A Levels , including biology or a suitable equivalent, to apply for this appren-

ticeship. Upon completion of the training, you will be able to apply to the Health and Care Professions Council and register to practice as a professional Dietitian. Once you become a registered dietitian, there are numerous opportunities for career progression, including becoming a full member of the British Dietetic Association, which offers frequent training to help you develop your area of expertise e.g. diets for patients living with diabetes or a particular type of cancer. If you start working as a dietitian for the NHS you will begin the role at the most junior level – band 5 – moving onto a dietitian specialist role at band 6 and advancing to band 7 with more experience and development in your specialisation. If you decide community-based or hospital-based roles aren’t for you, there’s also the opportunity to transfer into product development and marketing roles, or even teaching, research, or journalism.

» Level 2 Hospitality Team Member: you’ll be able to take on a range of general and specialist hospitality roles, such as working as a bartender or barista, a concierge, housemaid or housekeeper or waiter in hotel, bar, café, restaurant, or conference centre.

CATERING AND HOSPITALITY Apprenticeship roles in the catering and hospitality sector could see you working in a range of customer-facing or back-of-house positions. Being in this sector, you’ll need to be confident about working with a team and under intense time pressure. The area is full of opportunities for career progression due to the large variety of apprenticeships on offer. Some of the starter level apprenticeships in this area include: » Level 2 Production Chef: you’ll learn to work with a team under time pressure in a fast-paced kitchen environment. This could be in a school, hospital, care home, for the Armed Forces, a casual dining space or pub. » Level 2 Commis Chef: this involves preparing food and knowing how to do simple cooking tasks in all sections of a kitchen, supervised by a senior chef. APPRENTICESHIPS

» Level 2 Baker: you’ll learn how to make breads, pastries, and other sweet or savoury baked goods in a craft or retail bakery. » Level 3 Hospitality Supervisor: working in various businesses like restaurants, cafés, hotels, contract caterers, being able to supervise hospitality services independently. There is the opportunity to work in a specialist area, for example as a Food and Beverage Supervisor, which could mean helping with the set up and carry out a range of dining experiences in a hotel or restaurant, such as a wedding. » Level 3 Chef de Partie: overseeing your own part of the kitchen such as sauces, grilled foods, soup, or baked items and plated desserts. » Level 3 Senior Production Chef: managing a team in a kitchen environment, monitoring the production of food to ensure meets food safety regulation and customer needs, and supporting everyone on the team so that menu items are created to the correct standard.

How can I progress? To move up in a food-related role in hospitality and catering, you could take on the next level of a related apprenticeship if your employers offer one. These higher-level training roles could include: » Level 4 Senior Culinary Chef: where you could oversee helping to create new recipes for restaurants, or new products and product lines for retail.

ny standards in hotels, contract catering venues, conference centres, restaurants, and cafés. You may also decide to take on a full-time role in catering and hospitality upon completion of your apprenticeship, which could lead you to roles such as a Sous Chef, Head Chef or Executive Chef, a Bakery Supervisor or a Factory Production Manager. Other possible senior roles in hospitality include Hotel Food and Beverage Manager, Senior Bartender, or Events Operations Manager.

PROCUREMENT In the food industry, apprenticeships in procurement typically refer to working in shops that sell fresh produce like meat or fish, or working with a company to ensure the smooth operation of their supply chain. Starter-level apprenticeships in this area include: » Level 2 Butcher: where you’ll learn about the everyday operations of a butcher’s shop, meat processing factory or butchery department in a supermarket. » Level 2 Fishmonger: you’ll sell fish and seafood in a shop and give customers advice on the correct way to prepare the produce.

» Level 4 Hospitality Manager: otherwise known as a Food and Beverage Manager in the food industry, it involves overseeing delivery of compa-

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» Level 3 Advanced Butcher: a more management-based role than Level 2, working and running a butcher’s shop, supermarket, farm shop, independent retailer, or meat processing plant, develop knowledge on the processing environment and learn advanced meat preparation skills. » Level 3 Procurement and Supply Assistant: depending on the company you work for, the role could involve maintaining a supplier database as well as helping to source new suppliers, overseeing the dispatch and delivery of goods by strict deadlines, ensuring all orders are correctly processed and investigating and solving issues with failed deliveries.

How can I progress? No apprenticeships are currently offered above levels 2, 3 or 4 in procurement-related roles according to the latest information for apprenticeships on Gov.uk. This means the best way to progress after graduating is by taking on fulltime employment if you are offered it. If you decide to take the career path of a butcher for example, after completing apprenticeship levels 2 and 3, you could progress into a supervisory or managing role in the shop where you work, at a supermarket, grocery chain, or you could even open your own business if you fancy it. Gaining experience in this area of the industry also gives you the chance to work for the Food Standards Agency, checking produce quality and standards in meat plants and abattoirs, as well as working for catering or meat manufacturing companies as a Meat Packer or Meat Processing Operator. You’ll be able to gain similar career progression after completing a Fishmonger apprenticeship, eventually being able to enter a managerial role with experience at an independent shop or supermarket, by owning your own fishmonger business, or through working in fish wholesaling and contract buying. A Procurement and Supply Assistant apprenticeship will set you up for progression into roles such as a Supply Chain Manager, Logistics Manager, or Purchasing Manager, Distribution Manager or Operations Manager.

SALES AND MARKETING Working in sales or marketing, your role is to boost the image of a brand, build and maintain strong relationships with clients in the food and beverage sector, or even manage the products and stock on offer in a shop. A variety of early career apprenticeship roles are available in this area such as: » Level 3 Digital Marketer: you’ll learn the ins and outs of advertising for online brands, developing skills around how to use online and social media to attract customer sales and develop creative, attractive campaigns. » Level 3 Marketing Assistant: you’ll work alongside a marketing team to raise awareness of the brand you are working for, as well as customer perception of the business and analyse and present internal marketing data to inform future campaigns and marketing activities. » Level 4 Buying and Merchandising Assistant: it involves assisting in decision-making that goes behind what products a retailer decides to bring to market and thinking of ways to build customer focussed displays and product selections that help to boost the business brand identity. » Level 4 Retail Manager: you’ll learn how to manage a team of staff and sales in a retail space. Responsibilities could include figuring out the best ways to deliver a positive customer experience, meeting business and financial performance targets, developing new marketing initiatives, demonstrating great leadership skills and monitoring stock management. » Level 4 Marketing Executive: you’ll work directly with a Marketing Manager to devise and deliver successful, creative, and communicative marketing plans to engage with a specific target audience.

How can I progress? Many of these roles have higher level equivalents which you can apply to upon completion of a Level 3 or 4 apprenticeship.

» Level 6 Digital Marketer: you can progress onto this apprenticeship by taking the Level 3 apprenticeship for this role. In this level you will lead on developing and carrying out digital marketing strategies, finding ways to deliver successful campaigns that help to meet the company targets. » Level 6 Marketing Manager: as it’s a managerial role, this apprenticeship involves a lot of responsibility as it is down to you to lead the organisation’s marketing content and develop a strategy that will help a company engage customers and develop its brand identity. Employers typically set official entry requirements for this apprenticeship but applying after completing the Level 3 Marketing Assistant and/or Level 4 Marketing Executive will give you a strong marketing background to apply with. » Level 6 Assistant Buyer and Assistant Merchandiser: this role requires you to take on a leading role with regards to the sourcing and delivering of products for a retailer. » Level 6 B2B Sales Professional: in a nutshell, you’ll be selling products to other businesses as opposed to directly to consumers. You’ll be responsible for developing good working relationships with the companies you are looking to sell to and really understand businesses’ needs and how your brand’s product could benefit buyers. You will also need to manage a team of salespeople, meaning being a good team leader, communicator, and listener is essential.

» Level 6 Retail Leadership: through this apprenticeship, you will learn how to act as a brand ambassador and manage a team to meet the company’s sales and profit targets and ensure excellent customer service. While employers set the entry requirements for this level, applying for this level after completion of the Level 4 Retail Manager apprenticeship will give you a good level of experience to apply with. Again, it’s important to check with your employer as to whether they can support you through a higher-level training course like an apprenticeship. They may also offer you a full-time role where you’ll be able to progress to a similar level without any need to complete an extra qualification. Following these apprenticeships, with plenty of years’ experience under your belt, you could see yourself progressing into a Regional Manager role, requiring you to be responsible for a group of stores and for the management of large teams of staff in a region. Working in retail could also give you opportunities to apply for different types of roles, including marketing, buying, and human resources. Progression from a marketing apprenticeship could see you entering the role of a Social Media Manager, Product Manager, Market Researcher or Public Relations Officer in the food industry. With plenty more years of experience you could follow the path of a Chief Mar-

APPRENTICESHIPS

keting Officer or Director of Marketing for a range of big multinational food and drink brands to smaller SMEs. Moving up the sales career ladder could see you entering the role of a Regional, National or International Sales Manager, depending on the size of the company you end up working for. Finally, if a Buyer seems like the dream career for you, with more experience you could work your way up to the role of a Junior and then Senior Buyer, eventually reaching Head of Buying, Buying Controller or even the Managing Director of a company with time.

AGRICULTURE Another sector with a wide and varied array of food apprenticeships is agriculture. The roles on offer in this area enable you to learn what it’s like to work on a farm, to source fish and seafood, or find out what it takes to boost crop and plant yields in fields. Some of these starter agricultural and food production apprenticeship roles include: » Level 2 Poultry Worker: you’ll learn how to farm birds like chickens for their eggs or meat. » Level 2 Fisher: you’ll develop an understanding about how to harvest fish and shellfish, learning about different fishing methods such as basic static gears or more modern trawling equipment. » Level 2 General Farm Worker: you’ll develop an understanding of the daily operations on a farm. These could range from rearing livestock and knowing how to deal with pests and diseases that appear regularly on the farm to selling produce to food retail stores like supermarkets and local food suppliers and finding ways to implement more sustainable farming methods and preserve biodiversity. » Level 2 Land-Based Service Engineer: this role allows you to work with a range of machinery and equipment for use in agriculture, forestry and horticulture. » Level 3 Crop Technician (Viticulture): this apprenticeship will teach you how figure out ways to en-

sure high crop and plant yields. You will learn how to work with soil-based systems to grow a variety of fruit, vegetable and cereal crops. You might also get to work with and manage container-based systems (also known as aeroponics.) It is also possible to study a version of this training course with a focus on viticulture (wine growing), where you will still learn about monitoring and controlling pests and disease, but also manage the growth and characteristics of wine grapes, learn about vine pruning, vineyard nutrition and how to use special machinery and equipment. » Level 3 Poultry Technician: you’ll raise poultry, learning how to ensure optimal welfare conditions and to take care of their needs at different points in their life. » Level 3 Packhouse Line Leader: involves the collection and processing of fresh products and dispatch them to the retailer or to other sites for more processing. A quick-paced role where you’ll be responsible for a range of perishable foods like vegetables and fruit. You’ll also have to learn to work well with a team, and learn new machinery and IT systems to help you distribute produce to where it needs to be on time. » Level 3 Land-based Service Engineering Technician: you’ll develop the ability to provide advanced technical support in agriculture and horticulture sectors, knowing how to prepare, install and handover high-tech advanced machinery and equipment, as well as fix any faults with the technology and conduct regular inspections to ensure it all works efficiently. While no A Level qualifications are needed for this training course, 4 GCSEs at grade C, or equivalent, in English, mathematics and a science subject are needed. It is also recommended that you apply with a decent understanding of ICT.

How can I progress? While there are a variety of apprenticeship roles on offer in this sector, higher level apprenticeships involved with the food industry are less common in this area for the moment. One currently available is: » Level 6 Agriculture or Horticulture Professional Adviser: you’ll be required to consult and deliver technical advice to farmers and growers to APPRENTICESHIPS

help them manage their crops. You’ll learn to use the latest scientific research and knowledge on the subject to deliver solutions as well as have an understanding of environmental requirements that are in line with current legislation and policy in the UK.

require you to research and analyse data which companies may use to make important business decisions. This could be in a food retail, manufacturing, or marketing business for instance.

Being such an enormous sector with great importance to the UK economy, opportunities to grow in agriculture are anything but few and far between. Gaining experience as a Farm Worker for example could help you become a Farm Supervisor, Manager of a specific unit (such as poultry or arable crops). With more experience, you might be able to manage your own farm.

How can I progress?

Progression from a Land-Based Service Engineer Technician role could also lead to working in a successful engineering career in the agriculture or food manufacturing sector, such as an Engineering Maintenance Technician or Vehicle Breakdown Engineer. With more experience you could specialise in working with specific equipment or machinery or take on a managerial role at the company you work for. Taking on the viticulture-focused Crop Technician apprenticeship could also lead to a role as a Vineyard Assistant, which could progress to being a Vineyard Manager with experience, or even a slightly different role in wine and viticultural consultancy.

DIGITAL DATA Digital data roles are becoming more essential to the efficient operation of the food and drink industry. From supporting agri-tech companies, to supplying food delivery services with customer data, there is a high demand for digital roles in food. If you reckon you might enjoy working with data to benefit the food industry, it may be worth applying to the following starter apprenticeships: » Level 3 Data Technician: you’ll compile, format and present data for use in retail, manufacturing, and hospitality sectors of the food industry. » Level 4 Data Analyst (this could be a natural progression from the Level 3 apprenticeship): it will

Higher level apprenticeships in this area are also available. Prerequisites for these sometimes, but don’t always, require prior completion of an academic qualification such as a BSc in a related field such as Data Science. Some companies may accept you to an integrated degree level of an apprenticeship in this area upon completion of Level 3 or Level 4 training in a datarelated position. Some higher-level apprenticeships include: » Level 6 Data Scientist: this apprenticeship involves working with a team to analyse diverse dataset, tackle complex problems and improve various processes within the organisation to achieve various business-related goals. They can find and address data biases as well as deal with private data in an ethical manner for the company. Data Analysts and Technicians play essential roles in the food industry, meaning you could progress in this career by taking on this role in a different company. Progression in this career could entail taking up a managerial position as a Senior Data Analyst or Analytics Manager, where you’ll lead the data collection process for your employer, and you may get your own team of other analysts to manage too. No matter what area of the sector you’re intrigued by, there is a wide scope of food industry apprenticeships on offer to help you get onto your dream career path. Find out more about future careers in the food industry by visiting Food Matters Live’s Preparing for a career in food.

Apprenticeships in food and drink SSP UK, Compass Group and Budweiser

SOFT SKILLS

Job applications, CVs, cover letters and interviews: how to land your first job in the food industry The importance of soft skills in the workplace Essential soft skills for a career in food and drink

Job applications, CVs, cover letters and interviews: how to land your first job in the food industry FI O N A H O L L A N D

If you’re close to finishing your Bachelor’s, Master’s or apprenticeship scheme, you’ll have nearly completed the bulk of the hard work to get into the food industry. The qualifications and experience you will have earned are essential to helping you find a role you love in the sector, but there’s one more step to complete as you begin your job search: applications, CVs, cover letters and interviews. Preparing these may seem straightforward and obvious, or you might have no idea where to begin. Regardless of how you feel about the job application process, it’s worth dedicating some time to it as it’ll be essential to helping you secure your dream role. If you’re thinking about applying for a job in food and drink, it’s important you make sure you know how to put together a strong application that will help you sell yourself to employers. Depending on the size of the company, your application might be read by several members of an HR depart-

ment before it gets the chance to be seen by your potential employer, so you need to put in time and effort to make sure you stand out as a top candidate. During the Food Matters Live Inspiring Careers in Food event which took place in London earlier this month, we heard from a series of experts on the subject of job applications: Louise Jones Career Coach at City, University of London, Vicky Ransley, Careers Consultant Team Leader in the Employability and Careers department at University of Surrey, and Dr Sue Reeves, Head of Teaching and Learning at University of Roehampton. Here’s what advice they gave on how best to prepare for the job application process in the food industry.

What should my CV look like and what should it include?

» Two A4 sides in length – ideally no more, no less (e.g. don’t have one side full and the other half empty). » It should pass the ‘arm’s length’ test: hold your CV in front of you at arm’s length, if it’s still legible, it’s good to go. » It should look attractive in its presentation, separated out into different, neat sections on relevant experience, other experience related to the job and your education. If you’re applying to a more creative role in the sector, such as a graphic design-based position, you may want to show evidence of your design skills through the layout of your CV. » A portfolio of your work, depending on what role you’re applying for (if it’s a website design, media or marketing role for instance, you may be asked to prepare a portfolio of your past work to send with your application).

Some important questions to ask yourself as you’re writing your CV may include, “Why have you put the CV together? What are you looking for and why?”, says Louise Jones. It’s also important to think about why you’ve chosen to apply to a specific organisation. “I recently saw in a survey that one of the top reasons why employers are deselecting candidates graduate level was they had not shown enough research. By that, they mean research into the organisation – understanding what the organisation does and tailoring your application and not just your cover letter.” Instead of applying to several organisations at once, you should create a CV and cover letter for one company at a time

» Soft skills: time management, teamwork, creative thinking, communication, responsibility, leadership, self-motivation, empathy, assertiveness, public speaking, among others. These skills shouldn’t be listed out but should include clear evidence to show where and how you acquired them. » Key skills: the skills which may be mentioned in the job description. Make sure they’re clear, and again – don’t just list, explain how you got them. » Evidence: details as to why you suit the role. If you haven’t included them already, mention the skills you gained from previous work experience, your degree or part time jobs and how they make you a match for the candidate an employer is looking for in the job description. » Your career objectives: what you’re looking for in a job and why. They should be clear and concise, placed at the top of the document.

as this makes it easier to properly learn about and research the organisation. You may have heard of employers only looking at a CV for a couple of seconds before promptly discarding them and moving onto the next one. This is often either because someone hasn’t spent enough time crafting their CV properly for application, or because they undersold themselves. A good CV needs to look like it’s worth something, says Vicky Ransley: “A good tip that I heard once is you should imagine that every line on your CV is worth 100 pounds. Imagine if someone is looking at your CV, how much value are you SOFT SKILLS

giving the reader in each line? You really want it to be packed with the skills and detail about the experience you have.” You need to make sure you can show how you have the skills they’re looking for in your CV, and how you might align with the organisation’s own motives and ethics. “Think about what the values are of that organisation and what’s in the [candidate] specification for that role?”, adds Louise. Looking at the job specification and the company’s website will be useful here. When you read through this document you should be able to match the skills mentioned to the ones being asked for in the application, as well as many of the organisation’s core values as you can. But how do you know what skills are essential to include and which can be skipped? When you’re putting your application together, it’s worth doing “a skills audit”, says Dr Sue Reeves, to take account of skills you’ve developed that you might not realise. She told Food Matters Live: “At the end of your degree, you don’t just have the degree, you’ve developed lots of other skills during that time. Whether that’s writing, communication, you’ve probably done talks, you’ve done teamwork, you’ve had to show independence when you’ve done your dissertations.”

Vicky echoes this advice, saying: “It might feel obvious to talk about communication, teamwork, time management, but actually it’s really helpful for the employer to spell that out for them. Also, if you can put your skills alongside evidence, it just gives them a bit more validity.” If you have space on your CV, you shouldn’t be afraid to include skills you’ve gained from extra-curricular activities, such as working in a bar or supermarket, or being part of a society. “You can evidence lots of skills from those experiences, and if you can get involved in things at university and really embrace your time there will really help you. Things like being a course rep or part of a society always goes down really well. [Employers] are interested in you as all rounded individuals, not just as students.” While it can be useful to include your extracurricular interests, you need to make sure you explain what skills you gained from them that an employer might want to see. As Louise says, “You shouldn’t be including just a list of swimming, reading, seeing my friends – you need to put it into context.” You need to get this information across as concisely as possible however, it’s not an essay! “You need to blow your own trumpet a bit, but you don’t want it to be wordy, you’ve got to get it down to a few bullet points,” adds Louise.

What should my cover letter look like and what should it include? » Maximum one side of A4 in length » Set out in clear, concise paragraphs

» Evidence of where you obtained the skills that match the job specification, and why it makes you a perfect candidate for the role

» Information on why you’ve chosen to apply to the role and the organisation

» Enthusiasm about getting to the next stage of the application

SOFT SKILLS

What’s the difference between a CV and cover letter? While the former gives employers an overview of your relevant experience and qualifications, the latter is like a supporting statement, where you’re able to introduce yourself, your interest in the position and why you think you’d make a great match for the role. You should treat your cover letter like a “sales pitch”, says Vicky Ransley, as it will likely help employers make the final decision on whether you’ll be taken through to the next stage of the application process. While you should tailor all parts of your application to the company you’re applying to as much as you can, the covering letter is where you get to explain why it is you want to work for that specific organisation. “It might be that they’ve had some really exciting projects recently,” says Vicky, “maybe they make some products that

you love, maybe their values and ethos resonate with yours – any of those things will just communicate to the employee that you have researched and understood their company.” The cover letter is also where you get the chance to show off your key skills. It’s important not to repeat too much of what you’ve mentioned in your CV here, says Vicky, but do focus on the skills that match what they’re looking for, and make sure it’s written in clear, concise paragraphs. Showing you’re excited to have the potential to meet with the employer is also always worth something in a cover letter. As Vicky says, “It’s also a good idea to end it with your enthusiasm, saying that you’re excited to have an interview or speak with the employer soon.”

Preparing for an interview You’ve made it past the first hurdle. You submitted your application and have been called for an interview. It’s a great first step a s it shows the employer sees value and is interested in what you have to offer. Now onto the next stage: preparing for the interview. Whatever you do, don’t skip this! Louise explains: “Employers will cite it time and time

again. They see candidates in an interview who are not well researched enough about the organisation.” While you may hear of some people winging interviews, it’s not going to get you far in the job application process, and the more prepared you are the more likely an employer is going to want you to work for them.

There are a range of questions that could be asked in the interview, some of which may include: » Tell us why you want to work here? » Tell us about yourself? » How did you hear about this position?

» Why are you interested in working for this company? » What are your greatest strengths? » What can you bring to the company?

“If candidates can explain company values and how they align with their own, that’s good research,” says Louise. “Think about how you meet certain competencies, using evidence to explain why and how you developed and demonstrated specific skills.” Some people find the STAR technique, a useful reference in preparation for first interview questions like those mentioned above. The acronym stands for: » Situation: describing the situation and where it happened (e.g. a project at university or a previous internship) » Task: detail the task at hand and what you were aiming to achieve » Action: what action did you take to achieve your goal » Result: what was the result from your action and what did you learn from it? Would there be anything you’d do differently if you were faced with this situation/task again?

Preparation is key for every applicant, but especially if you’re not comfortable with public speaking and get nervous easily. If you’ve gone through all your preparatory questions, made sure you know how to expand on all the skills and information you included in your CV and cover letter, you’ll feel more confident in yourself and ready to face the interview. As Vicky says, “Even if you’re going in and you’re still feeling nervous, at least you can say to yourself: ‘Well, I’ve done everything I can and just go in there and go for it!” Online interviews have become quite common since the pandemic began in 2020. While they might not be the norm for everyone, if you are invited to one you need to prepare yourself in the same way you would for something faceto-face. “Initial interviews are often done online”, says Sue. “You must make sure you fit an online interview the same way you would an in-person interview – wear the same clothes, prep in the same way, and treat it just as formally. It may be online, but it’s still a formal interview.”

Career advisors Before you start thinking about sending out applications for food industry roles, if you’re still at university, you should prioritise setting up an appointment to see your careers advisor. As Louise explains, “Because you’re writing about yourself – and we all get a little bit awkward with that – it’s good to just get a second pair of eyes and get that input and feedback.” People working here have years of experience in the recruitment industry, so they often know best when it comes to what employers are looking for. They’ll help you think about how to structure these documents and figure out what you might include.

letter by email. Advisors can help you figure out how to tackle the questions being asked and respond using the guided (and often quite minimal!) word limit. They’re also on hand to help you with the interview process too, offering mock interviews, and the opportunity to get proper interview practice and feedback. University careers centres offer a range of different resources for improving your interviewing skills. As Louise explains: “At City, we have a technical interview stream where you can build your confidence with interviews by watching yourself back and answering different competency questions.”

Meeting with a careers advisor can be extremely beneficial during your job application process. You’ll learn the ins-and-outs of how to tackle application forms, as not every application nowadays requires you to send a CV and covering

Whatever aspect you’re unsure about when it comes to job applications, advisors can help you make sense of the process, develop your confidence, and guide you towards your first role in the food industry. SOFT SKILLS

The importance of soft skills in the workplace

WHAT ARE SOFT SKILLS?

FI O N A H O L L A N D

Soft skills are personal attributes that help an employee succeed in their role. A number of these could include creativity, time management, flexibility, teamwork, communication, problem-solving and leadership. With the food industry being an incredibly diverse space to work, there is a wide variety of situations and tasks an employee will be faced with. While a knowledge and passion for food and drink is essential, you’ll also need several soft skills under your belt to show your prospective employer that you can do the job well and be a team player.

In an analysis of job ads from the first week of January 2023 carried out by the job search website Adzuna, the 10 soft skills that came up the most were: management, flexibility, communication, organisation, customer service, friendly, leadership, confidence, innovative and attention to detail. Which skills are in-demand of course differ depending on the industry. In hospitality and catering for instance, flexibility, management, customer service, friendly disposition and communication were the most seen in job ads. For the scientific and quality assurance sector, management, communication, flexibility, leadership and innovative thinking, were the most sought after. In retail, customer service, management, flexibility, friendly disposition and communication came out top.

While at university, if you took on a part-time job alongside your studies, such as a hospitality or retail role, you will have obtained a wealth of experience and soft skills that can be transferred to future jobs in the food industry. Some of these could include effective and clear communication, earned through a customer-facing role and by encountering a range of people and temperaments, which will benefit you in a people-facing role – such as sales, buying, nutrition and dietetics, or a frontof-house or managerial role in a pub, restaurant or hotel. Another soft skill you’re likely to have picked up is teamwork, gained by working well with others working in a bar, café, or as a cashier, which will be essential to helping you prove how you can work well with a team in a company setting. During your time working in retail or hospitality, it is also likely you’ll have built problem-solving skills, as much of the work involves knowing how to think of your feet when managing a difficult situation with a customer or solving an internal problem – such as a coffee machine breaking, someone calling in sick last minute, or a shortage of kitchen ingredients. Taking on a part time job is a great way to gain a long list of essential short skills even before you’ve started your first full time position.

APPLYING SOFT SKILLS TO A JOB APPLICATION

FIGURING OUT YOUR SOFT SKILLS

So how do you know what your soft skills are? A good place to start is by analysing any recent social situations you’ve been in where you may have demonstrated those skills. For example, you could have completed one or several group projects with other students – this experience would help you demonstrate teamwork skills as you learnt how to work well with others to achieve a specific goal. If you led on a particular project, you might have also gained some basic leadership skills. You will have built communication skills by listening to, giving, and receiving feedback and showing respect towards your fellow teammates. You may have also had to lead a presentation in one or several of your classes, which will demonstrate public-speaking skills. Submitting research-intensive projects to a deadline also proves an ability to be organised and manage your workload when given a specific timeframe.

The key to writing a strong application is being able to link your experience to what the company is looking for in an ideal candidate. If the job description calls for someone with excellent time management, communication, and multitasking skills, think of any experiences you’ve had – whether at university, an apprenticeship course, volunteering or in a part time role – where you can describe how you were able to demonstrate these skills.

As with any job application, you should only include accurate information about yourself that you can backup in an interview. The same goes for soft skills – only include those which you have gained through previous roles, work experience, community work, or university projects. If you can’t back yourself up in an interview when questioned, it is unlikely you’ll get much further in the application process. The more you can show you have the soft skills an employer is looking for, the more likely they will be interested in hiring you as they won’t have to spend extra time training you in that area and can see you bringing value to the company.

SOFT SKILLS

Essential soft skills for a career in food and drink FI O N A H O L L A N D

To excel in a career in food and drink you need to be able to show a range of soft skills. The hard skills that are required may change according to how the industry adapts – for example, you may require up to date training to use new technologies or have product development expertise. Soft skills, however, remain with you throughout your career and can be built on in the workplace. They can show how communicative, adaptable, and productive you can be as an employee and

help you present yourself as a competitive candidate in the job market. The great thing about working in the food industry is that no matter where you start – as waiting staff in a restaurant, an engineer, or marketing executive – you can build an array of skills that are transferable to different roles, giving you endless possible career paths when combined with hard skills.

APPLYING SOFT SKILLS IN THE WORKPLACE So which soft skills are especially useful? This depends on what role and area of the sector you go into and what level role you’re applying to. For instance, if you want to follow a career in hospitality working as a bar or kitchen assistant the key soft skills your prospective employer would look for could include: » Communication: proves you can work well with multiple people in a bar or kitchen setting, by listening to others, showing respect, and communicating quickly and clearly » Multitasking and organisation: you’ll be completing multiple tasks at once and need to organise and prioritise specific ones to get things done efficiently. These could include taking a customer’s order, sending that over

to the kitchen, managing payments, and serving food and drinks » Teamwork: working well with your colleagues is crucial in hospitality. Being able to help someone out last minute in a role that’s different to yours to ease pressure in the kitchen would be one such example of teamwork » Problem-solving: hospitality workers will encounter multiple complaints and queries from customers as well as other issues internally, so it’s good to know how to think quickly, respond empathetically and come up with solutions » Interpersonal: you’ll need to work well with others, including colleagues as well as customers, and being comfortable dealing with varied social experiences everyday

These skills would also benefit you if you work in hospitality as a chef, however another couple of essential soft skills for this role include: » Dexterity: involves being skilful with hand-based tasks, like using knives and cutting food in various formats (e.g. julienned, minced, diced) » Time management: preparing and plating several dishes within a short period of time is a key part of being a chef, so knowing how to complete a range of tasks at a fast pace while maintaining a high quality of cooking is key » Creativity: working as a chef involves a lot of creative thinking, from the design of the menus to the plating of the dishes An example of a different job in the food sector is a nutritionist. While some of the key soft skills for the role differ to those in hospitality, several are similar but are required to complete tasks in different ways: » Teamwork: this is essential if you work in a larger department with a food manufacturing company or alongside dietitians in a hospital as you need to be able to work well with others to achieve specific goals e.g. supporting a dietitian in providing nutritional treatment for patient, or working with manufacturers to advise on reformulation of food and drink products » Communication: you’ll need to know how to explain sometimes quite complex information to a client in a clear manner » Problem-solving: a must-have skill for when a client needs nutrition advice to manage a health concern » Compassion and empathy: interpersonal skills like these help you to connect well with clients and give them the support they need if they’re facing a difficult situation regarding their health. They can also help you maintain

a good professional relationship with your colleagues » Time management: needed to manage patients’ scheduled appointments and your own time keeping. If you consistently make your patients wait, they may look for a different nutritionist Another important area in food you could find yourself wanting to work in is engineering. For most engineering roles in the industry, the necessary soft skills could include: » Dexterity: being skilful with your hands is vital in many engineering roles, to be able to fix faults and improve functionality of plant machinery and equipment » Problem-solving: recognising the advantages and disadvantages of a technical solution and figuring out which method has the least risk involved » Attention to detail: having an impeccable eye for detail is essential in engineering roles as even making a tiny mistake can have a serious, negative impact » Organisation: being able to complete tasks on time and knowing how to manage a high workload, as well as knowing not take too many tasks on at once » Communication: while in engineering roles much time is spent analysing and coming up with ways to solve technical problems, communicating well is key, especially when discussing a problem and potential solutions with a client. Being able to explain the issue and how it can be fixed clearly and concisely will help you succeed Depending on your level of seniority in any role, leadership or management may also be a key soft skill to include if you decide to apply for a position that requires managing a team and supporting junior members of staff.

SOFT SKILLS

Your guide to student finance: from BA, Master’s and PhD loans and bursaries to internships and part-time jobs

How to choose where to study Picking where to study is no easy feat. With food-related courses on offer across the UK, you have plenty of choice. There are several key factors however that could influence the decision you make.

Your journey to university: what to prepare and how to secure your place

While studying a degree offers valuable life experiences and is a great way to secure your dream role, there’s no doubt that it costs a lot of money. Luckily, there is plenty of financial support available to students, from student loans to studentships and bursaries. We also take a look at how you can find a part-time job or paid internship that could help you on your future career path.

Using social media to benefit your career: the dos and don’ts Social media plays a massive role in day-to-day life of so many of us, but how confident are you in using it to advance your career?

Applying to university is incredibly exciting. Whether you’re in your last year at school or applying as a mature student, university can offer you a wealth of opportunities to benefit your future. As well as being a place where you can really hone your knowledge of a particular subject, it is also a space where you will get a degree which will be key to helping you secure your first job.

Managing Director Briony Mansell-Lewis Digital Editor Stef Bottinelli stef.bottinelli@foodmatterslive.com Client Growth Manager Meshach Leigertwood meshach.leigertwood@foodmatterslive.com Head of Content Marketing Carol Mahna Creative Direction Brita Lapatza Cover Illustrator Ane Arzelus Designer Julia Sabiniarz Contributors Fiona Holland James Halliwell Bells Hann