The first and only food engineering degree in the UK is now available at Sheffield Hallam University and will be open in September 2013 for applications for autumn 2014 entry.

If you fancy being an engineer and are looking for a course in a great city that offers you great experience and career prospects, then the MEng Food Engineering degree could be the one for you.

Developed in close partnership with some of the UK's biggest food and drink manufacturing companies and best loved brands, this course will take you from undergrad to Masters Level in just four years.

The course has been designed to make students 'employment-ready' by giving them practical experience through over 50 weeks of paid industry placements at some of the UK's top food and drink companies.

More and more companies are signing up to support students studying the course. The current list of companies involved is: Associated British Foods, apetito, Arla Foods, Burton's Biscuit Company, Cargill, Dalehead Foods, General Mills, Mars, McCains Foods, Mondelez, Nestlé, Pork Farms, Premier Foods, United Biscuits, Warburtons and the William Jackson Food Group.

Graduates of the course will be much sought-after industry specialists with expertise in food engineering, food manufacture efficiency and environmental sustainability.

Food and drink is the largest manufacturing sector in the UK, employing up to 400,000 people. Engineering is one of the sector's key specialisms and the industry is crying out for new talent to come on-board to help it meet demand and future challenges.

Find out more about what it's like to be a food and drink engineer on the Tomorrow's Engineers website.

If this sounds appealing, or you just want to find out more, have a look at the MEng Food Engineering course page on Sheffield Hallam's online prospectus.

A robot that can move and pack a whopping 150 chocolate bars a minute will be amongst the bumper load of exciting food engineering activities on offer on the Taste Success / Nestlé stand at this year's Big Bang Fair at London ExCel (14-17 March).

Engineering is our stand's theme this year and visitors will be able to play a game of 'Grab the last Kit Kat' against the robot, showing how cutting-edge robotics and automation are used in food and drink manufacturing. The Bosch 4-Axes Delta Robot is a real example of high-tech robotic solutions used on the factory floor. See a Bosch robot in action on YouTube!

Other exciting things on our stand are:

• Nestlé engineers, apprentices and graduates will be on hand to tell you what it’s like to be an engineer and how they use their skills to make some of Britain’s best-loved treats like Kit Kats and Toffee Crisp bars.
• Munchbot! The Food Robot App: Our new Taste Success game - grab the food as it comes off the production line. Be the highest scorer and be in with a chance to win an iPod Shuffle every day of the Fair. The app will also be available to download from iTunes after the event.
• KitKat factory game: a game showing how Kit Kats are made - be the top-scoring winner and be in with the chance to win a giant Kit Kat or food hamper for your school or family.
• Mad about Food video: come and see the latest Taste Success video of Lily, the fire-blowing Chilli Baby with clever engineering skills up her sleeve. Watch Chilli Baby on YouTube!

If you fancy coming along, make sure you come over and say 'hi' – we'd love to meet you! We'll be in the Farm to Fork section. It’s free to visit but you will need to register on the Big Bang Fair’s website.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

John (18) works as an apprentice maintenance engineer at KP Snacks in Teeside. KP Snacks is the maker of such favourites as Hula Hoops, KP Nuts, Nik Naks and Skips.

We interviewed him about his job.

How did you get into the job?

I got good grades in my GCSE's, so I applied for this apprenticeship through www.apprenticeship.org.uk.

What does a typical day like?

Each day there are different issues to deal with, whether it’s in the factory or in a training centre. My daily tasks include repair and maintenance of site equipment, including the process lines that produce crisps, right through to flavouring and packing.

I am also responsible for continuous improvement, and my work forms part of our site's Lean Manufacturing activities. I'm involved with developing new engineering ways of working by looking at best practice, as well as a project focusing on investment in the factory's packing area. This project includes a visit to Germany to see the factory making new equipment for us, as well as a familiarisation trip to United Biscuits' KP Ashby site.

What kind of qualities do you need? And any specific qualifications?

I'd say the qualities you need for this job are a willingness to learn, good teamwork, and also being able to work as an individual, have good communication skills, and good listening skills.

The qualifications I working towards that will make me a fully qualified Maintenance Engineer are an NVQ level 3 and a HNC. The great thing about this job is that as I get more qualified and more confident in my job each year, I get paid more. This gives me the drive to try and get the best qualifications I can.

Any advice for others considering an apprenticeship in food and drink manufacturing?

I would definitely recommend this job to others! It is really enjoyable and you are always learning new skills. I'm never bored because there is always something interesting for me to do.

It's a great career choice! Stick at it, don’t give up, keep trying and try and get the best qualifications in it as possible.

p>Apprenticeships are very important to food and drink manufacturers. They are a great way to get into the industry and many employers consider them to be a great way of attracting talent to their business.

Every year at the Community Partnership Awards, the industry celebrates its top apprentices. This year’s winners ...

Apprentice of the Year

Sam Roberts, Unilever

Sam is a fourth year apprentice engineer, based at Unilever’s Trafford Park manufacturing – the home of PG tips, Scottish and Lyon’s tea. He was nominated by his managers for his exemplary work ethic and his dedication to his role, seeking out every opportunity to learn and better himself and putting his new skills and fresh ideas to good use at Unilever.

Runner up

Sam Ward, Nestlé UK & Ireland

Sam is currently studying for his Electrical Technical Certificate in the final year of his four-year Engineering Apprenticeship at Nestlé. He was nominated by his colleagues for his impressive attitude to his work which distinguishes him as one of the rising stars in the business.

He is continuously highlighted by his managers as a role model for other apprentices and has been described as "an asset to the factory and a leader of tomorrow".

Highly Commended

Rob Boyle, United Biscuits

Rob has been undergoing his Technical Coordinator Apprenticeship at United Biscuits’ (UB) KP Nuts factory since 2009. Rob was nominated by his managers, not just for his skill, but also for his commitment to his role and his attitude, which they consider excellent.

Lydia Cebreiro, Nestlé UK & Ireland

Lydia joined Nestlé in 2011 on its HR Apprenticeship Programme as a Recruitment Coordinator. Due to Lydia’s progress and impressive ability to handle a range of tasks she has also taken on responsibility for supporting the Training and Learning team.

Lydia has received recognition throughout the business not only because she delivers the highest standards in her day to day role, but also because of her enthusiastic and results focused attitude which her team has benefited from.

For pictures from the Awards check out our page on Flickr.

Taste Success is incredibly excited to be exhibiting at Skills London 2012!

A whopping 15,000 people are expected to come along on each of the two days! We'll definitely be there, along with lots of info on the exciting careers in food and drink manufacturing available.

We’ll also be launching the next instalment of our Taste Success videos, so if you want to find out what Lily the Chilli Baby did next, come and check us out.

If you're aged between 15-24, are curious about the career options out there for you and can get to London in November, then pop over and say 'hi' to us on the Taste Success stand - we'd love to meet you!

For more info, including how to book visit the Skills London 2012 website.

Have you voted for your sexiest food on our FaceBook page yet?

If not, then there’s still time to have your say on what should be the UK’s sexiest food. So far, over 1,500 Taste Success fans have voted and ice-cream has come out top, beating other contenders including jammy rings, fish fingers and jelly.

Ever wondered what it's like working with ice-cream?

Unilever graduate trainee Chris Seymour has one the coolest job in food, working as an ice-cream engineer in Italy. When asked why he wanted to work with this top sexy food he said:

"I wanted to be part of the ice-cream business because of the interaction with the product as an engineer. I’ve worked with tea and there’s less interaction in making it. I didn’t realise how many things were possible with ice-cream until I joined. There are so many different ranges you can produce and you get to be “hands-on” and work in the pilot plant with the equipment, setting it up and I enjoy making large-scale ice-cream production a possibility."

"Also, a lot of the items you work on might not be launched for another year - you get to try these ice creams out before they ever hit the marketplace, which is interesting."

To find out more about Chris's job, check out his full interview on Tomorrow's Engineers website.

Visit the Taste Success Facebook page to vote for the sexiest food.

If you live in or around the Watford area, then why not pop along to see us at the Your Future Fair on 8 October?

We’ll be there to tell you more about careers in food and drink manufacturing and the many opportunities available to you.

The Your Future Fair is now in its seventh year and is free to attend. The Fair aims to inspire and advise young people with their parents/carers about career opportunities in various industries.

Alongside Taste Success, a wide variety of local and national organisations will be at the Fair to offer you more information and advice on the skills, qualities and qualifications they look for in new recruits.

For more info visit the Your Future Fair website.

Event details:
Monday 8 October - 6pm till 9pm
Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford WD17 3JN

According to a poll conducted by the Royal Society Fellows – a collection of the UK’s leading scientists - the fridge, pasteurised milk and the tin can are the three most significant inventions in the history of food and drink.

Artificial refrigeration has been around since as early as 1748 when it was first shown in Glasgow. However, fridges didn’t become regular house-hold items until later in the 20th century.

The fridge was selected as the Royal Society’s top choice because being able to keep food cool, therefore extending its shelf-life, has played the biggest role of any invention so far in improving people’s diets.

Finding solutions to challenges such as how to preserve food is still relevant today, as food scientists, packaging technologists, engineers and many others across the food and drink manufacturing industry work to come up with new ideas.

As Royal Society member, Sir Peter Williams said:

"Science has a major role to play in meeting the global challenges of the 21st century…The poll reveals the huge role science and innovation have played in improving our health and our lives."

Press release

Calling all foodies wondering what to do with their A-Level results! Why not consider a career working with some of the world’s most loved food and drink brands? Food and drink is the UK's largest manufacturing sector and has got lots to offer!

The food and drink manufacturing sector needs around 137,000 new recruits by 2017 to maintain the competitiveness of this world-class industry and so is keen to tell you about the great career prospects it has to offer. You could be creating a new breakfast cereal, developing a new flavor of ice-cream or helping companies look after the environment – the opportunities are endless!

Top foodie career facts:

• Opportunities are available in careers such as food science, product development, marketing and communications, nutrition and well-being, human resources, packaging, and research and design.
• Pay and prospects are good, with starting salaries for roles such as food scientists and technologists being between £20,000 and £25,000 a year, increasing to between £30,000 and £45,000 with experience and increased responsibilities.
• Whether you want to go to university, or are looking into alternative routes such as college or on the job learning, the sector offers various entry points, including graduate schemes and specialised apprenticeships in areas such as HR and engineering.

For more on careers in food and drink manufacturing, check out the 'Taste Success – A Future in Food' campaign. Run by the industry, the campaign aims to highlight the wide range of exciting job opportunities available in highly skilled and well-paid professions such as engineering and food science.

Nicki Hunt, spokesperson for the Taste Success campaign, said:

"The UK's food and drink manufacturing sector is incredibly successful, producing some of the world's most famous brands."

"If you're looking for a career that is challenging and offers great pay and prospects, then this could be the sector for you. There are a wide range of opportunities available and food and drink companies are keen to get fresh, new talent on board."

Robert Greatrex, Apprentice Plant Technician at Nestlé UK & Ireland, said:

"I chose an apprenticeship in engineering because it means I can continue doing something I love. I have always been interested in engineering, even as a child I used LEGO to design models and as I grew older I worked on the maintenance of car engines in my spare time. I can now see a clear career path in Nestlé which makes me excited for the future."

Rob Ward, Communications Assistant at Dorset Cereals, said:

"Food manufacturing can be very forward-thinking as a sector. It is incredibly competitive and so the business has to be continually pushing the boundaries to be noticed, which means we are constantly looking to be at the forefront of marketing, learning all the time."

For more information, please contact Nicki Hunt or Rebecca Wilhelm on 020 7420 7132/40

Note to Editors:

1. Taste Success – A Future in Food' is a careers campaign run by the voice of UK food and drink manufacturers, the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) in partnership with the food and drink skills council Improve and the Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST). The campaign aims to raise awareness of careers in the food and drink manufacturing industry. For further information, please visit: www.tastesuccess.co.uk.

The summer holidays can be an incredibly nerve-wracking time for anyone waiting for their A-level results.

No matter how well or badly you think you’ve done, you never really know until you see those results for yourself on results day.

Just in case, it’s always worth having a think about what your alternatives might be if you don’t get the results you want.

A couple of alternatives are: going through Clearing or trying to get onto an apprenticeship scheme.

If you have decided university is the way for you, then several national newspapers such as the Daily Telegraph are running highly informative websites to help you through every aspect of the Clearing process.

Always remember, going through Clearing doesn’t mean that you’re a failure - it just means that you didn’t get the grades you needed this time round. It also means that you still have the chance to get onto a great course at a good university.

If you haven’t considered it before, then apprenticeships are definitely worth thinking about as they offer the opportunity to earn whilst gaining more qualifications.

The food and drink manufacturing sector is very committed to apprenticeships and offers them in a wide variety of disciplines, from HR to engineering.

John Marshall, engineering apprentice at General Mills said of his apprenticeship: “An apprenticeship gives you a trade which you can never lose and sets you up to find a job wherever you want to go within the industry.”

Many food and drink manufacturers offer apprenticeships so please have a look at the recruitment sections of their websites or follow them on Twitter where opportunities are advertised.