On the 15 February Macphie was host to 20 young food scientists from Glasgow Caledonian University, Robert Gordon University and Abertay University at their Glenbervie factory in Aberdeenshire for the Institute of Food Science and Technology’s (IFST) annual Student LaunchPad event.
As part of the event, students were introduced to the ins and outs of working in the food and drink industry, learned more about graduate careers from members of the Macphie team and were taught tips about CVs and interview techniques.
One of the presenters at the event was 26-year-old Jamie McDonald, a Abertary University graduate who secured an innovation role at the company following a three-month placement in the product development team.
Jamie shared his experiences as someone who has begun his career in food science, reviewing fat, sugar and salt content across some of the company’s product lines, perfecting recipes and all while ensuring they maintain their taste.
“It was great to see Jamie sharing the many wonderful skills he has picked up during his new role at Macphie and how his placement helped him on this journey,” said Dr Jon Wilkin, Senior Lecturer in New Product Development at Abertay University. “It was clear that Jamie’s experiences and the success he has already achieved in this ever-growing industry resonated with students at the event who I’m sure will be inspired to follow in his footsteps.”
Other speakers at the event included Open Innovation Manager at Macphie Paul McKnight and experts from the Employee Experience team, Jayne Dutch and Victoria Goodyear, who discussed their own career path journeys and what they look for in potential employees.
“The Student LaunchPad event is a great opportunity for budding food scientists, food technologists, and product developers to familiarise themselves with the exciting and dynamic world of the food and drink industry,” explained Tim McLachlan, Chief Executive at the IFST. “By organising these events annually, we aim to provide students with an experience to strengthen their insights and experience of the food sector beyond the lecture theatre and help provide a snapshot of possible careers in the industry.
Since 2017, Macphie has been involved in running a number of workshops and presentations on job skills to support the national curriculum with school partners, Mackie Academy in Stonehaven and Mearns Academy in Laurencekirk.
“At Macphie, providing opportunities to school pupils and students is something that we pride ourselves on and being able to host this fantastic event is a real feather in our caps, showcasing our passion to teach and encourage,” concluded Mark Duncan, Technical Director at Macphie.
Read more latest industry news and developments in our free to download magazine.
Never miss a story… Follow us on:
International Bakery
@int_bakery
@Bakeryint
Media contact
Caitlin Gittins
Editor, International Bakery
Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 920
Email: editor@in-bakery.com
