Technical Management is still a major growth area. At Focus Management we are receiving request after request for Technical Managers ... but why so many vacancies? They have moved into the interim market by the look of it!
Our Interim Division is placing large numbers of Interim Technical Managers in food and drink manufacturers across the UK, but why?
Some may argue it is because of the money - interim managers charge daily rates and can often earn more than permanent staff due to their expertise and flexibility.
Others argue that professional interim managers work in the interim market because of the challenge - they do not enjoy working to routine and procedure. Instead they come into businesses that are often failing in particular areas, perform a business turn-around and then move on to the next 'test'.
However, many believe that due to the recession, the interim market has been swamped by candidates who lost their jobs and saw interim as an area worth exploring as a stopgap - but not as a long term career choice. Many of these candidates found they enjoyed working in the Interim market and as a result chose to stay, meaning the demand for interim managers maintained coming out of the recession.
So what does this rapid increase in technical managers mean for the candidates operating in this sector? "Technical managers no longer work only on the factory floor. There's greater visibility, more interaction with customers, and more blurring of areas of responsibility. You can't come in as a [technical] 'boffin' anymore. You have to be multi-faceted, and that includes having financial skills."
One of the issues I believe that occurs at such times as these is focus on cost and it is still too often the case that technical skills are seen in terms of cost rather than profitability. As a result the Technical Manager is all to often treated as the scapegoat for poor quality and nil return while the production teams get the credit for good results. The result is the disenchantment of technical managers who may be poorly enabled and yet get all the flak and little praise. Sadly these roles do exist!
Secondly, as standards increase within the industry far more input is required on meeting the day to day requirements and so when issues arise there is little 'free' time available to allow focus on ensuring a long term solution. As a result the additional expertise of an interim manager gives a great boost to the business without long term costs. An attractive solution for many companies and for the interim manager who is 110% enabled to achieve results. This is attractive for those individuals who enjoy change management over a routine existence. Which in no way is meant to imply full time personnel are less worthy, its just a different way of achieving job satisfaction and in many ways a very different role.
Thirdly, with the demands placed by retailers to achieve their requirements there is often little opportunity for technical managers to learn to think strategically - that is done by the customer. As a result there is a difficulty in recruiting suitable candidates for senior levels where strategic capability is a must e.g. it is a fact in the food industry that the role of Technical Director is often the last position to be added to the board. Therefore, when a good manager hits that ceiling they may only see two choices, remain working at a level under capability or move into the interim market or out of the industry completely. Sadly in many cases moving into the interim market is the wrong move for there is far more to being a successful interim than simply being a good manager.
Finally, and perhaps most worrying for the industry in general, there is a severe lack of students exiting university with a wish to enter the food industry in a technical capacity. Now, it is possible to jump on the bandwagon and blame the dumbing down of education in relation to science subjects. However, can the industry truly put hand on heart and say that everything is done to highlight the earning potential and variety of technical roles? I think not and that is causing a long term problem which is only getting worse. If this is not resolved then I believe the way that technical cover is provided may change forever for companies will be forced to rely on temporary or part time cover at senior technical levels or to manage without. I don't believe that is necessarily the wrong way to go but is it what the industry wants?
I disagree with Iain on his final comment of lack of students exiting the university with a wish to enter the food industry or be in technical roles. I have graduated for over a year now with a 2:1 masters in food quality management and a BSc in microbiology and brewing, without a job in the food industry. My applications have been refused mainly because I do not have a driving licence and lack of experience they say.
I also do not agree with him that the industry can not put hand on heart that they are doing everything possible to highlight the earning potential and variety of technical roles.
As a student, we all want to practice what we have been taught, we want to be responsible for the safety of the food people eat, standards and innovation of new food recipes that would interest the public. We know what the pay is like for various roles and know what these roles entails. Its easily accessible and we know before we study the course.
But we leave school with hopes and the battle for jobs begin, most companies decline candidates due to lack of industrial or technical experience. I wonder how one could have that if not given the opportunity to work.
If the industry could come closer to the schools, form coalition with the universities. Get the students on practical sessions, present problems and allow discussions, then the interest will stay and opportunities will be there as the experience aspect would have been sorted. I think the industry knows what they want. Every body has to eat some way, some how, some day, so there will always be a market for technical manager.
In reponse to your comment Iain, I believe you are correct in saying there is a lack of technical students in the food industry. I have read many reports that suggest that is just the case. I believe that companies are not doing everything they can to promote careers in the technical food industry simply because of cost, Investing in future employees by visitng schools, colleges, universities and making promotional information is likely to reap massive benefits to the industry... But to add further costs onto a cash flow that may already be struggling out of the recession, is it any wonder companies don't invest? I suppose it comes down to priorities, and I believe priorities in a recession are all about the short-term, whereas in reality the long-term should *always* be of paramount importance.
In response to your comment Raphael, I believe that your 'lack of experience' as you put it is not just an issue with the food industry. From my understanding, many companies will turn away recent graduates as they have no direct experience in that field - I guess this is where students who have industrial placements and have undertaken work experience may have the upper hand, however much of the time I believe this still does not help.
How are students supposed to be able to get on the career ladder if employers respond with 'lack of experience'... can the basis of an application not rely on education/academic ability, desire to workand the increasingly popular character/people skills?