How did you end up in this job?

I was not sure what I wanted to do when I left school, university didn't appeal to me, and I wanted to get stuck into work. Some family friends took management of my local pub and were looking for an apprentice chef; I have always been interested in food and I love cooking, so I joined them as an apprentice. After I completed my level 2 apprenticeship, I realised the hospitality industry was not for me. I started researching roles int he food industry and came across product development. I still wasn’t interested in taking as traditional university route, so I started looking for degree apprenticeships. I saw my role advertised on the government 'find an apprenticeship' website and applied!

What's the best thing about your job?

The best thing about my job is that I get to work on iconic food brands like Bisto and Paxo, with exposure to many more like Sharwood’s, Cadbury, and Mr Kipling. I love the balance between desk-based and practical work. I spend most of my time working on new recipes in the development kitchen. The kitchen work is practical and hands-on and a great way to collaborate with team members. The rest of my time is spent doing desk work; this consists of attending meetings, calculating costings, and designing new recipes. No two days are the same and the work is very varied.

If you had the chance to do it all over again, what would you do the same / differently?

If I were to do it all over again, I would still apply for apprenticeships. My apprenticeship has really supported my learning style and helped me apply what I have learned. I am constantly seeing things I have learned about at university in the real world and that is extremely valuable to me. 
One thing I would do differently is that I would believe in myself more and be more confident that I am doing the right thing.

​If you could give your 16 year old self some career advice, what would it be?

I would say to do something you enjoy and don't follow the crowd!

What advice would you give to someone thinking of pursuing this career?

I would advise people to research their favourite food brands. You may be surprised to find out who manufactures them and the range of roles they have available. I had never heard of Premier Foods before I applied for my appprenticeship, but I certainly knew the brands they own!