Jobs and Careers - Hilary Devey 2013 - (Page 168)

food & drink tly It is eminen ployee an em possible for e heights to rise to th lowest y from the ver hout level and wit a degree GRUBS UP A Dish up a job in the food and drink sector, where there are career-building opportunities aplenty 168 www.jobsandcareersmag.com ccording to the Food and Drink Federation, production in the food and drink sector represents “the UK’s biggest manufacturing sector” directly employing over 400,000 people, with hundreds of thousands more working at the service end of the trade in bars, pubs, restaurants and cafes throughout the country. The diversity of employment opportunity is one of the most immediately attractive aspects of the food and drink industry, with an ongoing requirement for staff across the country in arenas from agriculture and dairy production through to fast food and luxury catering, and with excellent (and frequently very well remunerated) opportunities for management-level professionals to be found at the upper end of the ladder. It is eminently possible for an employee to rise to the heights from the very lowest level and without (at least initially) a degree or even lesser qualifications, through a combination of hard work and ability. Possible roles – especially in the largest organisations – reach right across the business spectrum from sales and marketing through to accountancy, logistics, IT and strategic planning. Many successful entrepreneurs have had their origins within the food and drink industry; employees keen to “learn the ropes” beyond merely the tasks required as part of their day-to-day roles, can pick up more here than in, perhaps, any other field of business. Of course, this isn’t the case in every organisation – but even comparatively small businesses have a lot to offer in terms of ongoing professional development, so don’t think that just because a company isn’t a FTSE 100 organisation, it won’t have plenty to teach you. Even, for example, a local bakery will provide learning opportunities in areas as diverse as food hygiene, customer service, sales and pricing strategies, on- and off-site marketing, facilities management, vendor relationship management and much more – opportunities which can produce skills vital for career progression either within the bakery itself or in other companies (perhaps your own). One factor which sometimes weighs against the food and drink industry, and which needs to be considered by anyone considering a career therein, is the high number of roles featuring “unsociable” hours. Be aware from the start that if you’re not prepared to be flexible with your timetable this may not be the career path for you. On the other hand, of course, many people find they function most effectively outside the traditional 9-5 period anyway, so this could conversely be exactly the right path for you! One of the great advantages of this industry – especially in times like these – is its great and constant demand. People always need food (and, as history tells us, drink) whereas demand for many other products fluctuates significantly according to economic conditions. There is no such thing as a “job for life” any more – but those looking for an “industry for life” along with many other advantages could do a lot worse than to look into food and drink. WORDS: Jamie Liddell | PICTURES: Shutterstock a wide range of roles http://www.jobsandcareersmag.com8

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Jobs and Careers - Hilary Devey 2013

Ed's letter
Meet Hilary
News
Dress for success
Bags of style
Onwards and upwards
The path to enlightenment
On the job
Under operation
Under assessment
Question time
Rising up the ranks
Law and order
Make your search social
On the books
Getting graphic
Sowing the seeds
Making contact
On the move
Going green
Get the cogs turning
Building it up
On the factory floor
Engineering change
Take it up a gear
A rainy-day career
Bank on it
Full house
Talk shop
A clean slate
Hungry work
Quench your thirst
At your leisure
All's fair and square
Head in the clouds
Online round-up
Jobs & Careers - East Midlands
Jobs & Careers - North West
Jobs & Careers - South East
Jobs & Careers - South East
Jobs & Careers - South West

Jobs and Careers - Hilary Devey 2013