New tool helps young find work placements
FoodStart will provide employers with a simple facility to post and promote their work experience placements, which students can then browse and apply for. More significantly, students will be able to log and track their individual placements and so build a recognised ‘portfolio’ of experience, which they can add to their CV – providing a springboard for a career in the food sector.
‘Significant levels’
The initiative, which will be launched in the IFST's 50th Jubilee year of 2014, comes in response to a survey of industry and academia carried out by the IFST earlier this year. This found that, while employers were already providing significant levels of work experience, there was still potential to increase the number and, more importantly, the quality and choice of work experience placements for young students.
Employers in the food and drink manufacturing industry continue to report a shortage of high-quality candidates for skilled roles, with one of the most cited contributing factors being the poor image of the sector. IFST believes that work experience, provided at a time when students are still considering their future career options, is an ideal way for employers to showcase the range of career opportunities available.
