Right time and place

Everyone who has made the transition from university or college to the world of work for the first time knows what it's like.

Once upon a time your professional dilemmas consisted of which course modules you should take or whether you could remain conscious and write straight in lectures after attending the annual student union all-nighter. Then, suddenly, you're pitched into having to think harder about more serious life issues, such as your overall career path. That is, of course, assuming you get through the induction process without feeling like your head is going to explode.

The early stages of a graduate job can fundamentally influence the direction your business life takes. That's precisely why Leading Edge, the development and networking arm of grocery think tank IGD, launched its annual Graduate and Business Placement Event to support those at this stage of their lives.

The conference, which this year is scheduled to take place on June 24 at London's Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in Westminster, costs nothing to attend and has been running each year for the past three years. For the past two years it has been opened up to graduates who are already two years or less into a job in food and drink processing and retail.

The original target audience also included students doing courses in food and drink processing or retail, such as those on business placements or graduate intake schemes. Leading Edge has sent information publicising the conference to every institution that is running courses for people who are looking to enter the industry.

The graduate conference will focus on equipping attendees with knowledge and broad work skills that can be transferred to a range of different roles, as well as covering the major trends affecting the sector. Shanna Ritchie, Leading Edge business development manager, says: "It will look forward to skills they might need for their careers, almost like future-proofing their career development." These will include negotiation, presentation and networking skills.

Last year's bash featured Jay Norbury and James Hughes from Redbury Coaching addressing 'Mastering Networking in 30 Minutes' and James Walton, IGD's chief economist, on 10 lessons for managers based on current trends.

For suppliers, there are also opportunities to sponsor the convention and connect with all the future talent. Companies represented at the event last year included PepsiCo, Nestlé and Masterfoods as well as Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury.

The full speaker list for this year has yet to be confirmed, but they will include James Tupper, IGD learning and change manager, and Nick Everitt, of the IGD's business insight unit.

As far as the subject is concerned, Ritchie says: "Last year we focused on networking and the value of building collaboration between companies. This year our theme is 'A Vision For The Future' and we will be once again applying this at a personal level, for example, 'What does it actually mean to me in my role and for my future?'"

IGD leading lights and external presenters will be peering into their crystal balls and attempting to forecast forthcoming trends. "This is very topical at the moment, with the credit crunch and uncertainty about the economy," says Ritchie.

Other up-to-the-minute themes such as sustainability and environmental concerns will be touched on. In all, the conference will attempt to make predictions on three core themes, with discussions after each presentation. Delegates will be given a portrait of future shoppers and a sketch of what the future of the grocery market will look like. They will also get an insight into the future skills required to take that market by storm.

Much to the undoubted relief of many, there will be few, if any, lecture-style presentations. No need for delegates to worry about nodding off at this event then - no matter how much sleep they had the night before.

The programme will embrace a mixture of contact building, interactive group workshops and presentations. "After each speaker there is an interactive session you can use for networking," says Ritchie.

In fact, the day will be packed with opportunities for those who come along to rub shoulders with their peers, on the basis that this can equally generate valuable insights. Two more hours have been added to the schedule this year specifically to allow more time for this interaction. The whole conference will kick off with networking time and will round off with an opportunity for mingling over canapés and wine. A step up from half-price pints and a kebab after the pub crawl.

The time devoted to networking last year was one of the major aspects of the convention that was praised in the feedback. One attendee said they valued "the chance to talk to relevant people in my industry". Another said: "This was a fantastic opportunity to meet like-minded people who were working in similar job roles and positions."

Other comments highlighted the "application of economic trends to the business I work in" and "the focus and depth of the topics discussed and the expertise and effort put in by the presenters"

The event is obviously proving popular for Leading Edge, which reports that numbers in attendance have grown from 80 two years ago to 121 last year.

For 2008, 200 places have been made available and Ritchie is hopeful that they will all be snapped up.

Students have perhaps developed an unfair name for being constantly on the scrounge for freebies. The Leading Edge graduate conference may pander to that, but it also shows that while there may be no such thing as a free lunch, there is obviously such a thing as free coaching.

For more information about the Graduate and Business Placement Event, log on to http://www.leadingedge.igd.com​

Manufacturing design for the future

Processors are being invited to support the food industry's version of the Diploma in Manufacturing and Product Design.

The course is intended for 14-19 year-olds and is set to be rolled out from September 2009. An initial Gateway 2 and Gateway 1 category 3 list of UK schools and colleges that will potentially offer the qualification has been posted on the Department for Children, Schools and Families' website, http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/14-19​. Unless food and drink firms offer support to these institutions, they will be unable to offer the full food manufacturing diploma.

The course can be adapted to all manufacturing sectors. The five manufacturing Sector Skills Councils (Improve, representing food and drink, Proskills, Cogent, Semta and Skillfast) have all given input into its development. It has three levels. Foundation level introduces 14- to 16- year-olds to general manufacturing and working processes. At a higher level, students can choose from modules such as running a manufacturing business and designing and developing products. Advanced level, for students aged 17-19, offers a route to university and covers business principles, supply chain management and research and development. A minimum of 10 days work experience is mandatory at each level. Learners can choose optional modules focusing on their sector, depending on the support available from manufacturers, and functional skills, such as maths, English and team work are also taught.

With the content largely decided upon, Chrissie Dunn, chair of the employer steering group that oversees the Diploma's development, says: "There's a massive push to try to get more employers to join in and help support the diploma in their location."

Dunn, who is also founder and md of Yorkshire-based Danby's Foods, former chair of the Meat Hygiene Service and board member of the Food Standards Agency, adds: "People think this is only about work experience, but it's not just that. Employers could help draw up practical projects or provide staff to give talks to students, for example. There will be something you can do, whatever your size, to really help."

Major food industry players are already committed to getting involved. Coca-Cola Enterprises, for instance, is offering its three education centres at its plants in Wakefield, East Kilbride in Scotland and Edmonton, north London to host site visits for pupils aged 12 and upwards.

Wakefield can offer two tours a day to 25 secondary school children. Last year 4,500 students from the north of England visited the plant, where students can study the entire bottling process and learn about recycling materials and waste reduction.