At this time of year academic institutions are gearing up for their latest intake of students, but with huge increases to university fees and the shift to fees being paid by students, many are only just getting to grips with the change in quantity and quality of students joining them next year.
We frequently hear how the food industry is facing a crisis in terms of attracting and developing the people it needs to fill technical and skilled roles throughout the supply chain.
In a recent survey only 15 per cent of students said they would consider a career in the food industry. NFU president Peter Kendall has been very vocal recently about the need to attract the next generation into jobs in agriculture to meet the increasing demands for food within the UK. Yet there are now only 3,300 student places for food science and technology in higher education in the UK and many of these are taken by foreign students who will most likely take their new skills and knowledge back home following graduation.
The impact of the changes to the university fees is still unclear. On one hand, any change which discourages students from applying for places has to be a concern. On the other, perhaps students who choose to go into higher education will focus on courses which will deliver better prospects of jobs at the end of them.
The situation is far from being all gloom and doom and many solutions are in our power to address. I would encourage every employer within the food industry to highlight the many exciting career options it offers. From plant breeding and animal welfare through to food safety, from food-sensory science through to retail shelf-life testing - the variety of interesting and demanding roles is huge.
I also urge all employers to look at how they can provide placements for students so that they can gain real-life experience of what it’s like to work in food-based roles rather than make assumptions based on the media’s portrayal.
Also, focus your attention to the people already within your businesses. What talent can you develop by giving more attention to their professional development? Not only can this sometimes provide a cost-effective solution to a skills shortage but it also sends out strong messages about the development opportunities within the sector.
Lastly, I would draw your attention to the recently formed Advanced Training Partnerships. Funded by the BBSRC, these are now coming to fruition and offer very cost-effective ways to bring on the future business leaders by providing modular learning opportunities across most technical food disciplines. -
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