Results tagged “Graduate Food Jobs” from Food Job Blog: The inside track on Food Recruitment and Careers

Large numbers of students are transferring to food science from other disciplines.. 'It's a very applied and interdisciplinary science, in which you can use basic science to solve everyday problems related to the food we eat.'

The recent economic downturn may also prompt students to re-evaluate their options and switch to a field with more encouraging job prospects. 'Especially in the last few years we've seen many students transitioning to food science. There are so many jobs that there's actually a shortage of food science graduates!'

Are you a food science graduate? If yes, are you currently employed?

What are your thoughts?

Mike Barnard, 04 April 2007, Milkround.com

Significant opportunities to further careers are more important to food and drink employees than graduate schemes.

The Food and Drink Innovation Network reports recent research conducted by Leading Edge revealed many food industry workers believe that career progression is the main factor in applying for an alternative job.

Nearly half (46 percent) stressed enhancing career opportunities was more important than challenging work or training opportunities and graduate schemes. A total of 79 percent of respondents felt opportunities for career progression are likely to ensure they remain with their current employee and this can be more important than financial rewards and on-the-job benefits.

Leading Edge's business development manager Shanna Ritchie explained: "The rapid pace of change and growth in the industry in the past few years provides previously unthought-of career opportunities.

"The old perception that jobs in food and grocery are simply about stocking shelves is dying rapidly, as the UK's best and brightest minds are attracted by the opportunities to progress," she added

Do you graduate in 2010? It may seem a while off; in fact, it probably is. However major players in the food industry don't seem to think so. Due to many of the blue chip food manufacturers putting all their graduate recruitment on hold in 2008 and 2009, they seem to be planning ahead for a 2010 intake. So although you may not graduate for over a year, and are certainly not looking for any post-grad employment for the next 18 months, this does not mean that many companies will not be looking for you.

This method of proactive search not only means that graduates can secure places early and get the type of graduate scheme they desire, it also could be considered in some opinions to be giving clients access to the more 'on-the-ball' graduates, who are also proactive in their searching - maybe due to their hard-working nature or their desire to take advantage of the best opportunities available to them, these graduates will get their grad schemes sorted before many of the 'I'll-do-it-tomorrow' grads even start looking.

Not only this, graduates of 2010 will not just be competing against other students graduating that year, but also against the 300,000 students who graduated in 2009, many of which will be eager to secure graduate schemes after facing the industry-wide graduate recruitment freeze in 2008/09.

What this says for the food industry? On the one hand it may suggest that the larger food companies have adjusted to the current economic conditions and are now able to take on new employees. However on the other hand it may imply that these same companies anticipate a more productive and profitable 2011 and thus are planning accordingly - otherwise, they wouldn't be taking on graduates, right?

Students who graduate from university this summer were warned on Wednesday that their chances of getting a job have virtually disappeared already.

Vacancies for graduates have fallen by 17 per cent since last summer, cutting jobs on offer by thousands, and most vacancies for this year have already been filled according to a survey of the top 100 graduate recruiters.

It's not all doom and gloom however. Most sectors report a decline in the number of graduate vacancies but employers in the public sector and the Armed Forces stepped up their graduate recruitment in both 2008 and 2009. As a result there are now 51% more entry-levels positions for graduates in the public sector and 17% more roles in the Armed Forces.

And some graduates will still be smiling. Bargain supermarket Aldi will offer recruits of its graduate development programme a starting salary of £40,000 and an Audi A4 car this year. Aldi has seen sales rise as shoppers switch to low-cost food in the economic downturn. This has led the discount chain to expand the number of places on its graduate training scheme by 50% from 100 to 150 places.

If a career in the Armed Forces or at Aldi is not for you, what other options are available to 2009 graduates who have not yet been able to secure a job? Several are considering taking a gap year and broadening their horizons through travel or voluntary work. Another possibility is to take a vocational or conversion course to improve your marketability.

Although some sectors are struggling, there is still a shortage of food scientists and technologists in the UK which is good news for graduates of food science courses.

Are you about to graduate in a food related discipline? Have you already secured a position or are you putting your career on hold until the economic crisis abates?