Name: Sam Smitheringale
Age: 23
Job title: Process Engineer
Company: Quorn Foods, Billingham
Education: MEng Chemical Engineering, Teesside University
Why did you decide to go for a career in food?
I don’t believe many chemical engineering graduates are fully aware of the opportunities in food and drink
It wasn’t a conscious decision to work in the food industry. Whilst I was aware of the many potential sectors my degree was applicable to, I don’t believe many chemical engineering graduates are fully aware of the opportunities in food and drink. However, since starting with Quorn Foods, I have become increasingly aware of the importance of process engineering in the sector and how it has an important role to play at all stages of food and drink production processes.
Explain your job to us in a sentence (or two).
My main day-to-day job is assisting with site operations from a technical/engineering standpoint. I have also taken responsibility for the site Management of Change system and I am carrying forward a number of plant improvement modifications and process trials. Taking these from concept to realisation has given me a great opportunity to learn and develop.
What does a typical day look like for you?
There is essentially no typical day, as new tasks are always being presented. From one day to another I can be working on short-term plant issues that need resolving quickly, to more long-term improvement activities and plant modifications. There is genuine variety in the role and the opportunity to be involved with a number of engineering disciplines.
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Tell us about how you went about applying for your job. What was the process like?
I started working at Quorn Foods as part of an industrial placement opportunity through my university. That application involved submitting my CV with covering letter, which was then followed by a site visit, tour around the production plants and interview. I was successful during that process and took the year-long role as a Student Process Engineer in between my second and third years of university.
About five or six months into my placement, I was offered a sponsorship opportunity by Quorn, where they would fund part of my degree for my final two years of university with the offer of full-time employment on graduation. Naturally, this was an opportunity that I was extremely grateful for and immediately accepted.
What’s the best part about working for a food company?
Being part of a company that is growing quickly means there is always something going on
From an engineering perspective, being part of a legacy ICI company I believe gives Quorn a unique way of working in the food and drink sector. I enjoy the variety that the job provides, and being part of a company that is growing quickly means there is always something going on. I get to work with and learn from people who have worked in industry for a long time, which is invaluable as a recent graduate. Additionally, given the increasing emphasis put on the importance of environmental and sustainability aspects of engineering throughout my degree, it’s good to work for a company that incorporates this into the business ethos.
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And what’s the biggest misconception people have about working in food & drink?
From my point of view, I don’t think many people truly appreciate how involved production of food and drink at a large scale is. The complexity of food and drink production will naturally vary from product to product; however, there is so much that goes into putting products on shelves that consumers are never aware of. From concept to consumer, there is an enormous amount of time and effort put into the research, development, engineering, manufacturing, product and process improvement and business aspects of creating food for consumers.
What advice would you give to other young people looking to get into the food & drink industry?
Simply be aware of the opportunities that are available in the sector. Also, try to realise the value of an opportunity that you are presented with early on, rather than regretting missing something down the line.
What’s your ultimate career dream?
At the moment, my aim is to improve as an engineer and achieve chartered status. In the long term, my goal is to increase my responsibilities and to progress to a management role.
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