Career opportunities: Food sector hungry for marketers

Wannabe marketers, data analysts and techies are being urged to wake up to the career opportunities on offer within the UK’s food and drink industry, amid claims that the sector is way down the pecking order when young people come to choosing an occupation.

According to new research commissioned by IGD, there is a significant disconnect between career aspirations and awareness of the diverse opportunities on the table.

The survey, which quizzed over 1,000 young people aged 16-25 and 1,000 parents, reveals that 38% of youngsters cite their parents or guardians as the single biggest influence on their career considerations.

This influence often translates into pressure, with 57% of young people admitting they have been railroaded by parents or teachers to pursue “traditional” or “safe” careers, such as law, medicine, or finance, even if not aligned with their interests.

Yet, despite this external pressure, 61% of young people expressed a genuine passion for creative and service led industries, including careers in food, hospitality, and media. However, 19% do not realise the food and drink industry offers this path.

From AI and cybersecurity, to engineering and analytics, many roles in the food and drink industry go unnoticed.

In fact, nearly three-quarters (72%) of young people do not consider it a place where they could discover their purpose and learn essential skills, even though 78% have a passion that could be met in the industry.

The UK food sector employs 4.2 million people, making up around 13% of all employment, or more than one in eight jobs. However, IGD predicts that the workforce challenge is set to escalate if proactive action is not taken.

This is because in the next ten years, the UK population is set to grow from 69.9 million (2025) to 73.4 million (2035), meaning more food and drink will be needed.

Some will be sourced from abroad but IGD argues that, realistically, UK food and drink capacity will have to increase to meet demand.

IGD chief executive Sarah Bradbury said: “The food and drink industry is one of the UK’s most dynamic and largest private sector employers, offering incredible careers which are professional, varied, high tech, and well paid. Through our cross-industry ‘Mmmake Your Mark’ campaign, we want to bridge this knowledge gap and showcase to parents, career advisors and young people the rewarding careers available in our industry.

“Young people are often unaware of the incredible career paths and sense of purpose they can find in the sector. By joining the Mmmake Your Mark campaign, businesses can help put these careers front and centre, attracting the next generation of talent.”

Food and Drink Federation director of growth and sustainability Balwinder Dhoot added: “From data and sustainability experts, to product developers and food scientists, food and drink manufacturing provides half a million jobs in every corner of the UK, all contributing to a thriving food system.”

“The next decade will be critical for our sector as we look towards achieving net zero, shaping healthier diets and unlocking a £14bn growth opportunity through AI, digital technology and automation. But this can only be achieved with the right people to drive this growth. That’s why raising awareness of the exciting career opportunities in the UK’s largest manufacturing sector is so important.”