Careers in Food and Nutrition

1. Careers in Food and Nutrition Chapter 55

2. Careers • Jobs range from farm workers to school dietitians to supermarket managers to food technologists • Two major industries • Food processing and food service

3. Qualities Needed • 1. Interest and Skills • Do you like working outdoors?? • Farm laborers, work on fishing boats • Can you pay close attention to details?? • Put right foods in right places, check food quality before leaving plant • Do you like working with machinery? • Complex machinery, be knowledgeable and careful

4. Do you have good math skills?? • Accurately check customer’s bill • Are you calm under pressure?? • Restaurant kitchen hectic, be calm with lots going on • Are you creative?? • Fresh menus to attract customers, appetizing dishes, garnishes, etc

5. Can you work well and get along with others?? • Team made up of waiters/waitresses, hosts/hostess, food preparers • Are you friendly?? • Some paid directly by customers (tip), pleasant attitude makes repeat consumers • Are you willing to learn more about food and food preparation?? • Know how to: grill, wash dishes, nutrition

6. The enormous change in American eating habits over the last 50 years has all but ensured a continuing need for people in food processing.

7. Americans’ growing reliance on convenience foods is well documented. • Take-out food is another growth area; many supermarkets sell whole roasted chickens or fresh pizzas that are cooked at home. • There are even services that deliver entire meals from the menus of local restaurants.

8. Jobs in Food Processing • Entry-level positions: • Without prior experience • Learn skills on job • Examples: • Farm laborers, food-canning and food-freezing, hand packers for some fruits/vegetables • Stock clerks stock shelves • Clean stores • Part time to full time

9. Jobs that Require Training • Managers who oversee staff members • Make sure jobs are done properly • So business makes profit • Ex. Department managers, plant managers

10. Inventory=amount of each product that is in stock at any one time • Manager responsible for inventory • Computers help keep track • Often have college courses, promoted from cashier to department head to store manager

11. Some jobs earned through: apprenticeships = is an employee who studies a position under the supervision of a senior worker • Vocational or trade school • Training for on the job

12. Higher Education • Work in food and nutrition are required to have college degrees • Food scientists study nutrition, biology, chemistry • Improve methods of canning, freezing, packaging, and storing foods as to not lose nutrients

13. Agronomists are scientist who try to improve the process of growing crops. • Advanced training beyond 4 years

14. Jobs in Food Service • Entry-level • Waiters, waitresses (servers), dishwashers, hosts, hostesses, • Fulltime to part-time • Paid low hourly rate that is supplemented with tips

15. Jobs that Require Training • Entry-level jobs open doors to higher positions • Openings for assistant managers, floor managers • Chefs earn position by working way through kitchen, (salad to dessert)

16. Higher Education • Many require college degrees • Dietitians, nutritionist =study and apply nutrition principles to food management • Nutritionists study how the body uses food • Employed in schools, hospitals, public agencies • Many have 4 years and graduate degrees

17. Not all dietitians work in institutions; many are in private practice. • They ma be hired to provide nutritional advice to professional athletes, lecture to clubs and organizations, and consult with food companies in developing new products.

18. Food writers and editors help public learn about food and nutrition

19. Restaurant franchises offer opportunities for entrepreneurship in the food industry. • The franchise company provides the site and equipment, operations assistance, advertising, and an established name; franchise owner manage daily operations.

20. Jobs in fast-food restaurants offer real, often unrecognized benefits. • Tasks and training are fairly uniform within a franchise, so employees can work in franchise restaurants in any location; they have “portable” jobs.

21. Fast-food restaurants are usually open long hours, offering more flexibility in scheduling. • Workers can also learn a variety of food preparation and kitchen management skills, sometimes changing tasks from week to week.

22. Page 536 • Pager system • Wrist pagers/ customer can change order, request check, etc • Reservation software • Tracks reservations, who has arrived and estimates wait for walk-in customers • Point-of-sale computers • Take order, knows table location, # of customers, and order –goes to kitchen display, etc

23. Real Life Application • Imagine one of your friends is growing discouraged with their job as a supermarket baggers. “It’s such a simple job, “ he explains, “and I’m not learning anything.” • Is he correct? • Learn how to get along with customers, organization, etc

24. Did You Know?? • Budding food scientists may find a career with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). • Established in 1907, the agency’s original purpose was monitoring food purity and sanitation in the food-processing industry.

25. Today FDA scientists test the safety and usefulness of drugs and chemicals, including those used in foods. • They also study the effect of pesticides that may enter the food supply.

26. Activity • Invite a variety of workers in food processing and food service to speak to the class.

27. Activity • With a partner, take turns acting out the roles of interviewer and job candidate. The interviewer should state his or her needs to the applicant, and the candidate should explain how these would be met.