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by Kim Carter |
Would you rather not work 9 to 5? If so, you might find a career in the food industry. It's food for thought!
According to the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association, 650,000 Canadians work in the food industry, with more than 150,000 new jobs expected to open up by 1995. That makes food services one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy. Job possibilities here!
The food industry has suffered from a perceived image of low wages and long hours which has created the labour shortage, says Brian Furzecott, dean of the School of Tourism and Hospitality at Georgian College in Barrie. But, says Furzecott, with more Canadians eating out and more tourists visiting Canada, the need to attract and keep good people has forced many employers to increase wages, reduce hours to avoid burnout, and provide attractive benefits packages to staff.
What do you need to work in the food industry? "A love of food and the drive to go the extra mile for a customer. You have to be people-and-service-oriented," says Janet Cook, externship placement officer of the School of Hospitality at George Brown College.
Post-secondary education and training are pretty well indispensable for career advancement. As an example, Janet Cook points out that chefs have to be computer-literate now because many restaurants use computers to store staff schedules, recipes and accounts.
The job opportunities are varied. If you possess culinary skills and an artistic flair you might want to consider studying to be a cook, chef or baker.
Good social skills, be a bartender, wine steward, waiter or hostess.
If you're university-bound and a science whiz, there are jobs in dietetics. Accountants, business, and markeing grads have found work as financial controllers, restaurant accountants and marketing managers.
A love for food and talent for writing could translate into a job as a food reviewer or food editor for a newspaper or magazine. Ditto for freelance work as a food photographer/stylist if you enjoy photography.
A bonus of the food industry, says Rose Lamb, a 28 year old instructor at Georgian College, is the potential for travel. "If you can cook, you can get a job anywhere. People all over the world have to eat."
tgmag@tgmag.ca