Food Production

Food production jobs are more varied than you might think. Food process operatives and food processing workers need practical skills to operate machinery, good attention to detail to spot problems and the ability to work quickly and methodically. Their day-to-day tasks could include:

1. controlling machinery that processes food
2. making sure there's a constant supply of ingredients
3. checking instruments like temperature gauges
4. reporting problems with equipment
5. keeping machines clean

They work to high standards of hygiene and are required to follow health and safety guidelines.

With experience, people in these roles could become shift supervisors, managers, or move into quality control.

Production managers are responsible for the technical management, supervision and control of industrial production processes. They ensure that manufacturing processes run reliably and efficiently.

Responsibilities of the job include:

1. planning and organising production schedules
2. assessing project and resource requirements
3. estimating, negotiating and agreeing budgets and timescales with clients and managers
4. ensuring that health and safety regulations are met
5. determining quality control standards
6. overseeing production processes
7. re-negotiating timescales or schedules as necessary
8. selecting, ordering and purchasing materials
9. organising the repair and routine maintenance of production equipment
10. liaising with buyers and marketing and sales staff
11. supervising the work of junior staff
12. organising relevant training sessions

In larger companies, there may be close links between production management and general or strategic management and marketing or finance roles.

Food production apprenticeships

There are three types of food production apprenticeships.

School leavers could do Intermediate Apprenticeships in roles like:

1. butcher
2. meat and poultry operative
3. baker
4. confectioner
5. cake decorator
6. production control operative
7. quality assurance operative
8. processing control operative
9. logistics controller
10. productivity technician
11. business operative
12. team supervisor
13. technical assistant
14. organisational and development assistant
15. fishmonger
16. processing operative
17. brewer
18. brewing operative
19. dairy production operative
20. equipment technician

School leavers could also do Advanced Apprenticeships in roles like:
 

1. specialist butcher
2. specialist operations manager
3. specialist baker
4. master baker
5. specialist confectioner
6. specialist cake decorator
7. chocolatier
8. manager, facilities
9. manager, supply chain
10. manager, logistics
11. quality audit manager
12. maintenance manager
13. diagnostics technician
14. organisation and development manager
15. technical manager
16. team leader
17. productivity manager

For those with A-levels, there are Higher Apprenticeships in managerial roles like:

1. productivity manager
2. general food manager (production)
3. technical manager
4. lean manufacturing manager
5. general management (food operations)
6. organisational and development manager
7. continuous improvement manager
8. manager, processes.