Youngsters had the chance to try out skills including sausage making and food photography at an event in North Wales.
Almost 100 Year 10 and 11 pupils who study catering, business or similar courses attended the Food & Drink Skills Wales event to discover the variety of opportunities available within the food and drink industry.
The event, which was held at Venue Cymru in Llandudno, featured talks, presentations and a session with influencer and TV personality Ameer Davies-Rana, who first became a familiar face as ‘Sgrameer’ on S4C’s Hansh.
Pupils were given the opportunity to have a go at sausage making with Coleg Cambria, food photography with Ceri Llwyd, experience new product development with Swig Smoothies, explore the creative world of graphic design and an interactive Virtual Reality session with the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC).
The aim of the event was to showcase the variety of opportunities that are available within the Welsh food and drink industry. Targeted at pupils who are considering a career in the sector, it showed that the employment opportunities are diverse and varied, and so much more than just food production, with roles such as accounting, human resources, manufacturing, graphic design, engineering, marketing, distribution and more.
Ameer Davies-Rana said:
“It was great to be involved in this event and to engage with so many young people and help to inspire them to think about what career they want to go into after leaving school. There are so many opportunities and I was glad to have the opportunity to raise awareness of how important the Welsh language is as a skill to have in the workplace.
“I was very proud to have been involved, especially as it helped to achieve Welsh Government's aspirations of reaching 1 million Welsh speakers by 2050.”
Food & Drink Skills Wales is a Welsh Government funded programme committed to working with the industry to develop a skilled and capable workforce to increase productivity and efficiency, while encouraging innovation and sustainable growth in Wales.
Nia Griffith, the project’s Engagement Manager in North Wales who led on the event, said:
“We are so thrilled with the turnout and the enthusiasm of the pupils who attended. Our goal was to inspire the next generation of food and drink professionals and this event was a great opportunity to achieve that, and help pupils to think slightly differently about careers within the industry.
“We had a fantastic programme of activities and having Ameer Davies-Rana involved was great. His presence and enthusiasm drew the attention of the pupils and showcased how the Welsh language can be a useful skill when it comes to following a career in the food and drink industry. I hope this event has encouraged young people to consider a career in this exciting and dynamic sector, and I look forward to hosting similar events across North and Mid Wales over the next 12 months.”
