Misconceptions over industry pay and disapproving parents are preventing young people from considering a career in the food and drink industry, the IGD has warned.
More than a third (37%) of people aged 16 to 25 said they believe the sector is poorly paid, and over a quarter (27%) admitted a career in the industry would disappoint their parents, according to the Institute of Grocery Distribution.
IGD research revealed a growing “guidance gap” between young people’s conceptions of the industry and its real opportunities. Nearly one in five (19%) admitted they were even unaware of the jobs available in the industry, despite many of their stated passions lining up with sector opportunities.
The disconnect was “putting young people in a difficult position, forcing them to choose between following their passions and meeting parental expectations”, said IGD CEO Sarah Bradbury.
It was vital for the industry to shake off its outdated reputation, and demonstrate its worth as a modern, high-tech sector, according to Sharon Blyfield, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners head of early careers.
“Across the industry, we’re hearing it’s a lot tougher [to hire] than it was before Covid – it was tough then, but since then we don’t seem to have recovered even to that level,” she said.
“Food and drink is fighting for the same shortage of talent that every other sector is fighting for. The really talented people have offers from many industries, and therefore are going to much more tech-heavy industries that are seen as agile.”
Manufacturing and warehousing roles were so stigmatised in the UK, Blyfield said, that many people did not appreciate that roles had become “high-tech” thanks to rapid automation in recent years.
“There is a real need to talk about the industry’s career pathways: you could be running a multimillion-pound factory by the time you’re 30,” she added.
IGD’s research was published as part of the think tank’s Mmmake Your Mark campaign, established to bridge a ‘guidance gap’ between public misconceptions of the industry and the range of opportunities within it.
Nearly three-quarters (72%) of young people said they did not consider the industry a place to “discover their purpose and learn essential skills”.
Blyfield said the industry had a lot of work to do to bust myths around the industry, or face a worsening demographic crisis as young people look elsewhere for employment.
“Food and drink has to be in the places where that age demographic is: going to a careers fair is great, but actually getting back into schools, doing the work to demonstrate career paths [is vital].”
Bradbury added: “We want to showcase to parents, career advisors and young people the rewarding careers available in our industry.
“It’s time for a more candid conversation that balances well-intentioned guidance against the true breadth of careers young people have open to them.”
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