GRADUATES HUNGRY FOR SUCCESS HEAD TO THE EAST MIDS!
The food and drink industry in the East Midlands is big business - there are currently approximately 700 food and drink manufacturing companies in the East Midlands employing 46,000 people. It contributes 17.5 per cent of GDP to the region making the sector’s contribution vital to the region’s prosperity. For graduates looking for a career with good progression, the industry can offer many interesting prospects.
The East Midlands has established a highly competitive, highly diverse and successful food and drink sector – from manufacturing and processing, to leisure and entertainment - which means graduates can choose from a wide variety of jobs on their doorstep.
Employers in the food and drink industry provide a broad range of graduate opportunities, from specialist roles, such as food technologists and new product development managers, through to production management and packaging. There is also a range of other career opportunities such as engineering, quality assurance, human resources, marketing, sales, and finance positions linked to the industry.
Food and drink manufacturing is the single largest manufacturing sector in the country, accounting for almost 15% of the U.K.’s total manufacturing output. Within this sector, roles in development are popular amongst graduates – covering nutrition, statistics, prediction, patents, legislation and logistics. Opportunities with smaller manufacturing companies, which account for 94% of food manufacturing organisations, are an attractive option for some graduates.
One graduate, who originally did not have plans to work in the sector, now holds a management position in a food nutrition export business in the region.
Kay Lill graduated from De Montfort University with a degree in Public Policy and Management in June 2006. She has lived in Leicestershire all her life, and has a good network of friends and family. Once she finished her degree, staying in the East Midlands to find a job was a priority.
As Kay was very particular about wanting a position in the East Midlands, she concentrated her job search efforts on recruitment routes that operated specifically in and for the region, and came across HotProspects.
HotProspects is the East Midlands based Graduate Recruitment Service, set up in June 2006. It was initially launched with the support of the East Midlands Development Agency (emda) to tackle the low level of graduate retention in the region. It is currently estimated that the East Midlands has 100,000 less graduates than the national average working in the region.
She signed up to the service originally wanting a role within local government, though Kay was approached by a member of the HotProspects team who suggested her skills were really transferable and she might want to consider looking at other options in another business sector.
“I was a bit apprehensive when they suggested something in the food and drink industry as it had never been an area I’d considered. I didn’t think the chances of progressing very far were particularly good, but the HotProspects team was very knowledgeable about the sector and was able to assure me about the exciting opportunities and prospects.” she said.
“From the day I was told about the position everything happened really quickly and before I knew it, I was offered the job. It was so different to anything I had considered before but the variety of what I would be doing really appealed to me.
Kay joined LifePlan Products as an Export Account Manager. The Lutterworth based company sells nutritional food supplements to specialist retailers in 22 countries worldwide including Spain, Portugal, Italy and Poland. The company’s biggest international client is based in Lithuania.
Kay liaises with export clients and arranges distribution agreements abroad through various agents. Meetings are arranged with different health companies and it is Kay’s responsibility to look at the market and devise strategies to improve sales by arranging discounts or promotions.
“There is the occasional travel involved, particularly to Lithuania, which is where the bulk of our clients are based. Since starting I’ve already been once and have another trip planned for the end of the month. Being in this line of work means I get to meet a diverse range of people and experience different cultures.”
For graduates looking for employment within the food and drink sector in the East Midlands, there is a huge network of companies right across the supply chain, which can mean a mass of future opportunities once they have taken their first step onto the career ladder.
Kay said: “There are a lot of opportunities to progress within this sector as,there is such a strong network of people and a large variety of companies I could work for and I have already made some really good contacts. I am really pleased that I chose to take the position with Lifeplan products; I am optimistic my chances of progression as I develop my skills and learn from my peers. I would certainly recommend a career in this sector.”
For more information about HotProspects visit http://www.HotProspects.org.uk or call 0845 450 5460.
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