The food & beverage industry is the largest manufacturing sector in the UK, valued at over £100B. This interesting & diverse area of industry offers stable employment, a plethora of career development opportunities, and high levels of job satisfaction.
Unbeknown to many, the food industry covers a whole range of career areas. This is something I came to learn when stepping into my new role as an in-house recruitment professional for one of the UK’s leading fresh food producers.
Despite the above, the food industry is not a career path many people would give thought to. This is something that I have particularly noticed whilst working on early-careers projects when aiming to attract more young people to consider what the industry has to offer.
With this in mind, I thought I’d share my opinion on a few reasons why I think a career in the food industry is worth considering.
1.Excitement & Diversity
No two days are the same working with food. This ever-changing, fast-moving environment aims to serve the demand of a hungry nation, and with this comes a lot of responsibility to get things right. The variety of opportunities available would suggest there are roles for everyone to get into the industry, whether you are a highly academic university graduate or somebody who has a more ‘hands-on’ approach towards learning a new role.
2.Career Prospects
87% of Millennials rate professional career growth and developmental opportunities as important to them in a job.
Already the largest manufacturing sector in the UK, the ever-growing food industry offers a huge variety of diverse and exciting career prospects. Most company hierarchies would suggest there are progression opportunities in most areas of the business for those who want it, particularly if working for a large organisation. For those who are seeking long-term career prospects with the potential for progression in the future, the food industry is something that can offer this (in most cases).
3.Job Satisfaction
One thing I have observed in my short time working in the industry is the high amounts of long-serving employees. A typical employee in the UK stays at a company for just over four years, however, in an industry that offers opportunities to upskill and progress (like the food industry) this tends to be a lot longer. Food industry workers hold the huge responsibility of feeding the nation and contributing to doing so gives great satisfaction and sense of purpose.
4.Innovation & Technology
Working for a business who are very much ‘industry leading’ when it comes to innovation and technology, it has become clear that there is a wealth of opportunity for the next generation of tech-minded change-makers.With heightened responsibility to people and the planet, the food industry is leading in inspiring change when it comes to sustainability and innovation, therefore a great career option for those who really want to make a difference.
5.Demand for Talent
As the industry continues to grow, so does the demand for new talent. In-house recruitment teams are continuously searching for talented professionals who can help us solve some of the industry’s biggest challenges. On the back of recent labour market challenges, companies are having to adapt to bring good people into their businesses and therefore there has never been a better time to join the sector.
With the abundance of exciting career opportunities, I would highly recommend anyone open to a new role to consider options to become a part of the UK's largest manufacturing sector.
