Food jobs from Carrus

Technical Accelerated Management Scheme

Name:

Mehdi

University attended:

London South Bank University

Degree obtained:

Master Diploma in Food Science

Joined Scheme:

2006

Assuring food safety is a critical requirement for the food industry. The challenge is to provide this assurance in a fast paced, constantly changing environment. Working as part of the Technical team in a business you will play a key part in delivering this. You will be involved in defining, monitoring and enforcement of food safety and quality standards in the factory and also to come up with innovative ideas to drive improvement and support other departments. You will interact with all departments, hence the incredible amount of experience you will gain within a very short period of time. Add to this unrivalled training, international opportunities and a rapid progression into a position of genuine responsibility and the decision is easy!

Real work from day one

The Bakkavör Technical Accelerated Management Scheme is carefully structured to provide a valuable insight into all aspects of the company's technical standards and procedures. The scheme consists of two work placements in separate Bakkavör business units. The key thing is these are real jobs with a real responsibility. In addition to your daily job role you are expected during these two years to acquire 34 specific skills that will constitute the basic building blocks of what a future Manager in the Technical function needs to know. Once you have completed the scheme, you will then start your first permanent position in the company, the first step to accessing a senior management position, potentially within five years of joining Bakkavör.

Real responsibility for graduates

I joined Bakkavör in 2006 and began my first placement at Bakkavör Pizza in London. The role here provided an excellent introduction to the company as it enabled me to observe Quality Assurance from grass roots upwards. I was able to take part in the day-to-day tasks but was also given projects that covered several months. My colleagues and managers were hugely supportive and made it easy for me to fit into my first real job.

I am now about to move to Katsouris Fresh Foods, another site located in London. There, I am going to acquire an in-depth knowledge of dealing with suppliers. This will include a total revamping of the way we check our incoming raw materials and the way we deal with supplier-related issues.

Starting my career meant there were many things I still needed to learn that were unknown to me, including the need to earn trust. A QA role involves lots of time dealing with people, as well as learning technical skills. If people don't trust you, they will not follow you. I was responsible for ensuring good quality standards were maintained as well as making sure that good manufacturing practices were in place in the factory. In doing that, I dealt with a wide range of people, from the shop floor operative to departmental senior managers.

One of my main projects was to revamp the raw materials checking procedure. This role involved high levels of influence and motivational skills, as well as having to continually deliver to short timescales. I had to train significant changes and convince people to change their old habits.

By the end of my first placement, I was given the opportunity to temporarily become a Team Manager. This was a fantastic opportunity so early in my career. I had my own team and was able to climb one step higher on the ladder. It allowed me to acquire invaluable experience: the only way to get better at managing is by… managing! Plus, I had a broader view of the way improvement was driven. I was able to get more distance from the daily routine to learn what a manager's job really was.

A friendly employer

This is a very friendly place to work - from the factory floor to the Site Manager's office, many of my colleagues are also friends now. Above all, Bakkavör is a company that believes in giving its people two things - support and opportunity - and it delivers both in abundance. Equally the more you are prepared to put in, the more you will get out. So far, all my expectations have been met and I have gained a huge experience.