Career opportunities in the FMCG sector
We believe that employers in the food and beverage manufacturing sector have great career opportunities to offer today’s youth. Career paths offer many opportunities, the sector is relatively secure in terms of economic vagaries, the pay is good, the jobs are challenging and fulfilling, and growth is always possible for those with talent and determination.
At the same time, with so many school and college leavers struggling to find jobs every year, we believe there are many high-potential candidates who, if given the guidance and the right foundation, can become enthusiastic about a career in the food and beverage manufacturing sector.
A win-win project
Focussed in the Boland area in the Western Cape where the Food and Beverage manufacturing sector has a significant presence, the Pinotage Youth Development Academy (PYDA) and Optimum are working together on an exciting project linking the great opportunities offered by employers with these highest-potential candidates.
PYDA is spearheading the project, and they have already recruited and selected 25 high potential school or college leavers who will embark on a 3-month programme starting in January 2021 which is designed to prepare them for a long-term career in the food and beverage manufacturing sector. Development of the candidates will include personal mastery, an understanding of the sector supply chain, and a practical appreciation of the factory environment. We hope to create an informed enthusiasm for a long-term career in the sector. It is our vision that they stay in the sector, continuously grow in competence and contribution, and are promoted into progressively more senior positions – in many cases all the way to the top job of factory manager.
There are 28 food or beverage manufacturing operations in the area and we have good relations and proud track records with them. We are engaging with them, keeping them informed, and we hope that they look to the candidates for entry level learnerships in 2021 and see them as potential managers of the future within the factory hierarchy.
Value add for employers
The value add for employers is very convincing:
- A rigorous and complete learner recruitment and selection process.
- High-calibre candidates who will complete an entry level learnership quickly, and who will have realistic aspirations and hopes for personal growth and advancement in the sector.
- Positive impact on the pipeline of black employees who have the potential for advancement to senior positions.
- All the government incentives that reward points 2 and 3 above.
Ultimately, we would like to link employers and high-potential school leavers every year and to do it wherever the food and beverage manufacturing sector has a presence in South Africa. It is our vision that employers in the sector will value this work and look to the candidates for entry-level learnerships every year. We hope that school and college leavers given these opportunities will stay in the sector, continuously grow in competence and contribution, and be promoted into progressively more challenging positions.
If we can link the great opportunities offered by employers with the highest-potential candidates, we would be serving the interests of both groups and even help strengthen this essential sector of the South African economy.
