In today’s competitive job market, having relevant work experience makes applicants stand out and puts them in a better position to secure a graduate job. This concept was the foundation for the Faculty of Engineering and Science when offering an industrial practice year with some of their programmes. Sumit Sukhadiya, an MSc. Applied Food Safety and Quality Management with Industrial Practice graduate understood the importance of having work experience and put in the work required to earn a successful placement at DO&CO Airline Catering.
Due to some unfortunate circumstances, Sumit was unable to start his placement search as early as he would have liked, but Step Recruitment, a key partner of the Faculty of Engineering and Science at the University of Greenwich, stepped in to help Sumit secure his placement.
“Step kept me in contact with multiple companies, and one approached me. 10 of us were selected for the roles and it was only because of Step that we got selected. The Step team helped a lot”
As a Quality Assurance Officer at DO&CO, he had to adhere to CCP one to six, so the Food Safety and Quality Management module where he learnt about Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) and ISO standards was useful to his role.
“I learned a lot from my time at the university, the tutors and lecturers provided the best education”
In his role as a QA officer, his daily responsibilities involved conducting quality checks, ensuring compliance with food safety regulations, addressing product specifications, inspecting production lines, and implementing corrective measures where necessary.
“The quality assurance position is the best role to start a career in the food industry because the role provides an experience which links to all the departments. I definitely enjoyed this role, and I learnt a lot”.
Initially challenged by the lack of practical experience in the food industry, within a month, Sumit quickly adapted because of the training provided to new employees, the work environment, and his colleagues at DO&CO.
Sumit acquired a graduate visa and has remained at DO&CO. His aim is to explore other companies aligned with his career goals, particularly those adhering to BRC Global Standards.
Sumit’s advice to students- “Step knows better than the students how to get a placement, so be disciplined and follow the suggestions given by the Step team”.
