Are you into a Food Business, a Food Entrepreneur?
You can be in Food Service Industry or Retail or Food Manufacturing Industry.
We often received offer from university, colleges or other higher learning institutions for internship students to do practical cum training in our premises.
I do realize some business owner do not allowed any internship students into their premises as they are afraid of the trade secrets of the company will be reveal by these trainees once they have finished they training in the organization.
I also noticed that many of intern students accepted by the organization which are placed at large food company, usually been assigned to work in area such as:
1. Service
2. Cleaning
1. Packing of Food
1. Stock Take of Goods
From my personal, opinion and experienced teaching more than 1000+ of internship students during my working days in one of the largest bakery in South East Asia until owing a small manufacturing plant and having my own trading company. I always appreciate students whom are willing to join as an Internship Student into our company.
Why, so? This is because these internship students may not have working experience working in an organization but they have many knowledge receive from their studies such as Food Technology, Food Science, Food Service Management, Culinary of Art, Logistics Management, Business Studies etc. Their new ideas and input as a 3rd party personal is need for any organization in order to improve the company managing structure. It might sounds raw, but personally I found that it is a valuable information given by them.
May be, to a larger organization has all the Standard Operating Procedure of the company established and do not want to have further improvement and internship students are only presents in the big organization for gaining minor working experience only and as a Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) an obligation towards the society.
In a Small Medium Enterprise (SME), Micro Enterprise organization like myself whom previously just starting to venture into the food industry, the business owner needed the 3rd eye from practical students to give more input and to assist on the documentations since SME has limited resources to gain access to knowledge.
So far, with this act. I had gained so much of knowledge and assistance from the practical students. To me, it is a ” WIN-WIN SITUATION” between the student and the organization.
The students gain so much of experienced from the activities assigned and the company has also got assistance from various resources received from the student.
Foto Credit : Deligateaux (M) Sdn Bhd
What I normally do, prior engaging to any Practical Student into my organization….
STEP 1
• I will request for full resume and photo of the students.
• If possible, I will conduct interview for the shortlisted candidates.
• Once the student is been accepted, he/she need to sign a “NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT” between him/her and the organization, mentioning that all the information from the company cannot be disclosed to anyone unless with permission from the organization.
STEP 2
• Once the student reported duty. A briefing about the company, tour to the premise and introduction to Head of Departments.
• The students will be brief on HOUSE RULES and DO’S & DON’T
STEP 3
• Brief student on the relevant every department “Student Working Schedule”
STEP 4
This is the area which many organizations can refer some “IDEA“ to delegate the students with task and assignment to help the organizations.
Food Manufacturing Industry
• Food Safety – To assist on study on related Food Safety matters.
• Product Quality – To assist on Sensory Evaluation or Shelf-life Test
• Production – To assist on getting records on productivity.
• Marketing – To assist on Food Sampling, Marketing & Promotion
• Sales – To assist on surveying of Product Competitors locally and internationally (can be search online)
• Administration – To assist on any relevant administration matters
Food Retail Industry
• Purchasing – To survey on new product in the market
• Warehouse – To do counter checking on inventory & shelf-life of goods.
• Product Quality – To random check on supplier product quality.
• Food Safety – To assist on related Food Safety matters on all perishable goods.
• Marketing – To assist on managing Marketing & Promotion
• Sales – To assist on surveying of Product Competitors locally and internationally (can be search online)
• Administration – To assist on any relevant administration matters
Food Service Industry
• Kitchen Management – To assist on procedure establishment.
• Food Safety – To assist on related Food Safety matters on all perishable goods.
• Product Quality – To assist on Sensory Evaluation & Consistency Product Report
• Warehouse & Logistics – To assist on data collection: hygiene, First In First Out System, Logistics Storage Temperature Control, Delivery Punctuality and Cleanliness
• Administration – To assist on any relevant administration matters.
There are many others areas that the organization can work closely with the students and also the higher learning institutions.
Eg. Company can get assistance from the relevant university to check on Microbiological Test on the Food Product, Raw Materials etc. as a 3rd party comparisons results and data collections.
Company also can work closely with the university on the New Product Development, Product Improvement or to get assistance on Food Safety / Food Quality matters if the company has no experience in Food Safety matters.
Towards the end, of the intern day, students are brief again that all the data facts findings Is confidential and only meant for the company purpose. They will gain the experience throughout the journey of working experience attached to the organization.
At the end of the day, the company will can so much of Data Collection and new information from the student findings.
Of course, all these work done need to be guided by the Head of Department of the organization or the business owner itself and with some collaboration from the university.
I hope that the Small Medium Entreprises, New Start-Up Company will get some ideas on How To delegates these task to the practical students.
I always belief that SHARING IS CARING and WHAT WE GIVE, WE WILL EVEN GAIN MORE!
