WORKING IN FOOD & DRINK 25
Cook up a
tasty career
If you’re looking for an exciting
and challenging career with real
prospects and promotion, the food
and drink industry should be top of
your list, as Paul Johnson explains
Some industries go through passing they require individuals
trends and phases of popularity, and who can thrive under
with an ever-changing economy it’s not pressure and have
surprising. One that remains forever stable the flexibility and
is the food sector. We all need to eat and resourcefulness
drink, be it just the basics for daily living to find solutions
or the sort of luxurious dining reserved where others
for special occasions and celebrations. see only
But to put food on the table involves a insurmountable
long supply chain stretching from farmers problems. Those
and manufacturers to retailers and employees with
restaurateurs, with an army of workers the necessary
needed at every level. enthusiasm,
commitment and
The food and drink industry employs skills can quickly
nearly 500,000 people and has an annual find themselves
turnover of £73 billion, making it the largest promoted into
manufacturing sector in the UK. Even on managerial positions
a global scale, the UK is the fourth-largest and beyond.
food and drink manufacturing industry.
As there are about 6,500 food and drink Sarah Evans, a director
manufacturing companies in the UK alone – from recruitment specialist
with most of them employing between 100 Discovery Recruitment
and 250 people – it’s no surprise that the (www.discovery-recruitment.com),
industry accounts for a huge 13 per cent of says: “Food and drink manufacturing
the UK manufacturing workforce. Indeed, is one of the largest and most dynamic
more than 20 per cent of the top 100 UK sectors of the economy. Challenges arise
companies are in food manufacturing. that are often high profile and affect people’s
lives in an everyday sense.” She adds: “The
Plus, it’s likely that the industry is going biggest shortfall is graduates going into the
to get even bigger. In 2004/5 there were production side – this is often where the
43,600 notified job vacancies, but by higher salaries are and provides the greatest
2014 it’s predicted there will be about opportunity for advancement.”
118,000 extra jobs that need to be filled.
Demand for graduates within the industry It’s certainly an exciting time to be joining
is high, with excellent career opportunities the industry, with soaring food prices,
and prospects for the best candidates. public concern about healthy eating plus
Because food and drink sectors are worries over carbon footprints and farming
fast-paced, dynamic and customer-driven, practices to contend with.
GradJobs Magazine | Autumn 08
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