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The Food and Drink Industry does not promote its science

“We must ask the question of whether the food and drink industry is missing a significant opportunity to attract our well-trained science graduates”

The application of basic science is at the core of the food and drink industry but the essential science framework and culture of this sector are rarely promoted with regard to attracting graduates. Hence, universities are now faced with a formidable challenge in changing the perception of graduates in biological sciences regarding career opportunities in these industries as well as addressing their particular scientific interests. It is thereforean uphill struggle to interest our students in career possibilities in the food and drink sector. One reason that this sector fails to attract large numbers of our graduates is because careers in these industries often do not appear to be science-based, product development is not seen to be science-driven and the industry is not visibly steeped in an ethos of science culture. The low interest of our science graduates in the sector is somewhat surprising given the knowledge that science drives innovation in hot topic areas such as functional health foods. So we must ask the question of whether the food and drink industry is missing a significant opportunity to attract our well-trained science graduates into innovation, product development and quality control careers.

Making Degrees more relevant/increasing student employability: why academia needs business to help

Context – National Destinations Figures for Graduates

Nationally, graduates from Biology degrees have a higher than average rate of unemployment six months after graduation.

Table 1: A selection of degree subjects and their unemployment rates six months after graduation, plus the average for all subjects (including those not listed above), taken from ‘What do Graduates Do? Sept 2014’

Furthermore, looking at graduates from biology degrees who are in employment, the percentage of those working who are in graduate level employment varies from 35% up to 100%, depending on the institution they attended and their specific degree title. (Taken from Unistats website: See here)

“Feedback from employers indicates that students are lacking in commercial awareness and also critical thinking for effective decision making.”  

As might be expected, a high percentage of Biology graduates nationally (24.4%) go on to further study, much higher than the average across all degrees (12.4%).

Feedback from employers indicates that students are lacking in commercial awareness and also critical thinking for effective decision making.  Students often misunderstand commercial awareness this term, thinking that it only applies to business students.  Perhaps it would be better described as understanding the context of the industry in which they wish to work.  For example, if students wish to work in the food industry, most employers would want interviewees to demonstrate that the students have some understanding of the company, its context within the food industry, its main competitors and perhaps up to date information about the industry area, such as “What has been in the news about the food industry recently?” and also how to solve a problem.

Students often lack this information because they do not understand how important it can be. Giving students access to employers during their time at university can help improve their awareness. Here are some examples of what we have done in the Faculty of Biological Sciences at the University of Leeds:

• Set up a faculty specific Industrial Advisory Board, where key industry contacts meet with faculty academics to discuss developments
• Offering an optional professional development module
• Offered mock interviews to all Level 2 students, including preparation of a CV and cover letter
• Started a mentoring scheme, with employers (mostly alumni) mentoring current studentsto improve their critical thinking ability
• Increased the number and range of employer seminars
• Increased the amount and range of industry specific careers events, for example, Ask Pharma, Healthcare Careers for Scientists, Sports Science networking event.
• Given far more encouragement for students to partake in placements, internships, volunteering and extra-curricular activities
• Produced a monthly employability newsletter with links to faculty specific careers opportunities, information and advice.
• Used Linkedin to connect with alumni

We have considerably increased our contact with alumni and employers.  Student feedback shows that they appreciate this and benefit from it.

“Universities have a key role to play in assisting graduates to realise their full potential…However, we cannot achieve this goal in isolation, requiring dynamic partnerships with industry…”

Some of these developments are curricular while others are either loosely linked or outside the curriculum.  Many academics feel strongly that the curriculum should be about subject specific knowledge but also agree that developing critical thinking is crucial in scientists. They often feel that courses should not be specifically designed to create ‘industry fodder’based only on the acquisition of technical skills. Students learn so many skills, however, such as team work, communication and problem solving in a team environment throughout their degree courses.  It seems good to allow some flexibility in how students develop skills that will be useful for their career.  Some might encounter that ‘seeing the light’ moment through their degree, others through placements and others through organising extra-curricular activity.  Perhaps the most important thing is to encourage students to take up as many of these opportunities as they can, so that they have a wide ranging understanding of the career opportunities available to them.

Undoubtedly, universities have a key role to play in assisting graduates to realise their full potential in terms of their career choices and aspirations. However, we cannot achieve this goal in isolation, requiring dynamic partnerships with industry, which must take the initiative in promoting their science and assisting universities to inspire and engage studentsparticularly in the food and drink industry.

Professor Christine Foyer is Professor of Plant Science, Centre for Plant Sciences, University of Leeds. This blog was also written by Tim Goodall, Employability Officer at The Faculty of Biological Sciences, The University of Leeds.

Food Economy Task Force Reports: 

• Full Report: Leading Food 4.0: Growing Business-University Collaboration for the UK’s Food Economy
• Summary Report: Leading Food 4.0: Growing Business-University Collaboration for the UK’s Food Economy
• Work Stream 1 Report: Research into Attitudes and Perceptions of Careers in the Agriculture and Food Sector
• Work Stream 2 Report: Science and Translation of Innovation in the Food Economy
• Work Stream 3 Report: Landscape Collaboration for Sustainable Land Use