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?
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We are all aware that the current economic climate is far from its best; it has been for some time and is unlikely to improve in the immediate future. As well as many senior level and junior level employees losing their jobs as a result of the 'credit crunch', students who stand to graduate in summer 2009 are finding it increasingly harder to find a graduate scheme that is running this year. Heinz and Bakkavor, to name but a few, have put their graduate roles on hold for the foreseeable future.
This is not the first time that graduates have been struggling to find jobs after finishing University. In 2001, a report on the Times Higher Education website stated that 1 in 5 out of 66 surveyed companies (that were registered as members of the Association of Graduate Recruiters) said they had deferred graduate roles for an average of 12 months, while 1 in 10 had withdrawn offers already made to graduates. Here in January 2009, the situation is undoubtedly worse, as graduates will be struggling to find jobs in any area, never mind one that will utilise the skills they have been taught throughout their degree.
However, it is not all doom and gloom for graduates. Aldi have announced they are looking to take on Graduate Area Managers with a starting salary of £40k, rising to £57,750 after 3 years, and have also thrown in a fully expensed Audi A4. Not bad for a graduate salary!
As someone who is on industrial placement at the moment, with about 18 months until I'm due to graduate, I personally will be looking to stay in education for as long as possible, and avoid looking for graduate schemes or alternative employment for as long as possible. That will include the possibility of either a Masters, travelling after graduation, or a more appealing option (to me) of securing employment for 6, 12 or even 18 months in a foreign country.
I can only wish the 300,000 students due to graduate in June 2009 the best of luck in fighting for the recently-government-backed graduate roles at Barclays and Microsoft (BBC Website, Intern plan to ease graduate woes), and hope that the economic climate has improved by June 2010 when I'm due to graduate.
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?
The Guardian on Saturday reminded us that there is a shortage of food science and food technology graduates leaving UK universities. Jobs in this field range from the scientific side of product development to marketing and getting products on to the shelves, and graduates can command salaries up to £25,000 plus benefits.
In the report, Dr Richard Frazier, head of food and bioprocessing sciences group at the University of Reading, said "There are many exciting challenges facing the food industry and there is a constant demand for food science and food technology graduates who possess a strong scientific and technical skill base, combined with an understanding of how to manage consumer issues concerning food safety, quality and nutrition. Graduate careers are among the most rewarding among professional groups in terms of salary and promotion prospects."
So why are students still shying away from food science degrees? Will the government's decision to introduce compulsory food technology lessons for 11 - 14 year olds in 2011 encourage more people to pursue a career in this highly rewarding field?
Luckily for the food industry, even in times of a recession, people still need to eat. We may change our diet somewhat, but we will continue to buy food. This is obviously good news for us as the food industry will continue to employ graduates.
The Guardian on Thursday published an interesting article, Graduates who have studied abroad more appealing to businesses, and would be curious to know how relevant food professionals, and graduates of food related courses, feel this is to our industry.
The article tells us that international businesses are increasingly seeking graduates who have a global awareness, particularly those who have the initiative to study overseas as part of their learning. Britain is home to people from many different cultures and nationalities, so should our food industry graduates, even those who plan to take up a career at home, be more culturally aware?
What benefits would the food industry gain if students undertook a period of study, or work experience, abroad? As always, we'd love to hear your views...
Fact - it's common practice for graduates who have been fortunate to have had an industrial placement for however short a time to be interviewed before those who have not ... no matter how good their grade!
Every graduate we have met who has taken part in an industrial placement considers the experience invaluable for a number of reasons. It has allowed them to put their studies into practice and to experience first hand the demands of working in the food manufacturing sector. And in many cases it allowed the graduate to decide which career path to follow; technical, manufacturing, process or NPD.
One thing for sure though is that many students have found it an challenging task to secure a placement in the first place - the main reason they are told is due to lack of resource. Catch twenty-two time as we need to encourage graduates into the food industry, get them excited and involved early on, showing them that the food manufacturing sector can be a highly rewarding career with long term opportunities.
We all are aware the pool of talent for the food industry is tight, therefore employers need to be more realistic, if you want 'the cream of the crop' you're going to have to get involved ... as little as a month long placement gives graduates the edge ... so spare some time and invest for the future and those employers that do will have the best graduates to pick from.
Ask most final year students or graduates where they want to work and the chances are they will say one of the big corporates like P&G, BT or until recently, one of the big banks. If they want to work in the food industry they will say one of the major brands like: Mars, Kellogg's, Cadbury Schweppes or Heinz. Yet this flies in the face of what most of them say they want from their first job in food. Sure, you will get to work with major global brands but how much influence will you have on product development? You have to ask yourself: how many new products do Heinz Baked Beans go through in the average year?
Increasingly, I believe graduates should also look at the own-label chilled product manufacturers who develop new lines for Tesco and M&S. While a global brand might carry out a dozen or so new product developments in a year, these companies could develop up to 800. You may say OK, that's fine for the guys in new product development but I have a degree in manufacturing science and I want to make a difference. Well you won't be Just in Time to teach Heinz much about the latest in Lean Manufacturing techniques. They have been at the cutting edge of real time manufacturing systems since the seventies. Own-label manufacturers may be more open to your ideas as they will be anxious to leapfrog a developmental stage or two in manufacturing know-how.
If it's a challenge you are looking for, how about managing a team of 100 people two years out of university? The non-branded chilled food market is as challenging as you like and backed by multi-million pound budgets and international networks, where you can learn the latest management thinking from around the world. And finally, if that's not enough there is always the thrill of seeing products that you developed or had a hand in the manufacture of sitting in the chillers of the major food retailers. After all, we all like to have our works of art on display for the whole world to see and, of course, to enjoy.
